Limit street lights to 10 hours - Minister

by Ananda Kannangara

The Power and Energy Ministry will take tough action against the responsible officials in Local bodies, who do not take action to switch on street lights only between the specific 10 -hour period from 7.00 pm to 5.00 am.

According to an on-the-spot investigation, carried out by the Ministry flying squad recently on the directive of Minister W.D.J. Senevirtane, it has been revealed that street lights in some areas and outstations are on even before 7.00 p.m. and after 5.00 a.m. daily.

"This has been a great crime and due to the negligence of responsible officials in the Local bodies and power is wasted unnecessarily," Minister Seneviratne told the `Sunday Observer'. He said he would discuss this matter with the relevant officials in the Local Government Ministry and bring a solution to stop this waste.

Asked what action he would take against private sector individuals and organisations such as hotels, parks and shops who are in the habit of switching on their commercial name boards even before 6.00 pm till dawn, the Minister said that steps would be taken against them if they do not adhere to the Ministry request.

He said increasing the electricity charges would not be a solution to the current power crisis. The consumers should stop waste and save the power instead.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that the decision to charge a monthly levy of one million rupees from television stations for running transmissions after 10.00 pm has not been dropped and it is being discussed with the relevant officials.

"We also met Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa last week and discussed the matter," he said.

Minister Senevirtane said that if Government Departments, Ministries, semi Government institutions, statutory Boards and private sector establishments extend their co-operation, electricity could be saved to a certain extent.

The Minister said that the public must also extend their co-operation to help the Government's endeavour and minimise domestic electricity use.