Indian Express 19.01.2010
Turn off streetlights on full moon nights to save power: Govt
The Gujarat State Urban Development and Urban Housing Department (UD&HD) has sent a formal communication to all municipal corporations in the state to make minimum use of streetlights for five days before and after the full moon night. It has also asked the municipal corporations to completely switch off the streetlights on the full moon night to save electricity.
The Vadodara Municipal Corporation has taken an initiative to implement this unique directive. The Standing Committee of the corporation on Monday passed a resolution to this effect. The matter will now be discussed in the general board meeting on Friday.
According to senior officials at VMC’s streetlight department, a letter has been sent to all the municipal corporations in the state in this regard. According to the letter sent by the Deputy Secretary, UD&HD, the exercise is to save the environment and electricity.
The letter sent to all corporations reads: “To let the people enjoy the beauty of the full moon night and at the same time make efforts to save the environment and electricity, it has been urged that from agiyaras tithi (11th day) to poonam and from poonam to pancham (fifth day) — 10 days —the use of streetlights should be minimum. On full moon night the streetlights should be completely switched off. To comply with this, all the corporations are asked to make permanent planning and discuss the issue.”
Subodh Shah, executive engineer, Streetlight department of the VMC, said, “After we received the letter, we discussed the issue and have decided to implement it on a trial basis. Before taking the decision, we consulted the Vadodara Police Commissioner to analyse the law and order situation.”
Shah further said the Police commissioner, through his letter on December 30, has agreed to implement the instructions for three hours. He said, initially, the streetlights will be switched off in the North zone areas at Karelibaug, Fatehgunj, Nizampura and Sama.
Sources said the idea is impractical. “The bare minimum illumination in residential areas should be 4 to 8 Lux whereas the illumination on full moon night will be approximately 0.25 Lux which is not ideal,” they said.
