Nagpur News.
With rapid urbanization and ever growing electricity demand, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has vowed to save power and go for solar energy in the New Year. The NMC move comes after considering the pollution the power plants have been causing to the environment, and also for protecting valuable and scarce mineral sources. Most of the power plants nearby the city are coal-based and pollute the environment in larger proportions.
Now, the NMC will install solar lights in all its offices and also distribute 3500 solar heaters to citizens on some financial terms. The power plants utilize 700 grammes of coal for generating 1 unit and emit 750 grammes of poisonous carbon dioxide. The 1 unit also devours one and half litres of water and thus radiating heat. And when the process is considered in crores and crores of power units, the damage is beyond imagination.
However, if the electricity is saved in massive proportions, the benefits would be immeasurable as far as the environment and protection of mineral resources are concerned. Nagpur is now being identified across the country as the implementor of measures for power saving. The NMC has been selected for Model Solar City. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 1.91 crore to NMC. The streetlights requiring more electricity would be replaced with LED lights and the number of streetlights stands at 26,000. Around 1900 feeders have been installed in city which control streetlights out of which 1883 are automatic. The remaining 17 feeders will also be made automatic. The NMC’s every zone would be providing 350 water heaters at 50 per cent rates to citizens. The NMC has 10 zones. All the offices would be equipped with solar lights that would save thousands of units of electricity.
BLACKOUT ON FULL MOON DAY:
The Mayor Anil Sole said that many countries in the world keep lights off for one hour every year in order to preserve electricity. Nagpur among 11 cities in the country participate in this venture. Moreover, on Full Moon night, there is enough light and if the citizens go for “Self Commitment” and keep the lights off in houses, offices, establishments, institutes and others for considerable time, power will be saved in a big way, the Mayor said. He appealed the citizens to cooperate in NMC’s efforts to save electricity, the environment and protect mineral resources.