`48 crore saved on power bill: GHMC
The GHMC has claimed that it has saved `48 crore on electricity bills from July 2017 to April 2018 by adopting innovative methods. The corporation claimed that it had upgraded 4,06,729 conventional sodium vapour lamps to LED in a year due to which it had managed to reduce electricity bills by 50 per cent. Demand has reduced to 35 KW, it said.
However, Energy Efficiency Services Limited, which is affiliated to the Centre, had assured that 98 per cent illumination would be achieved through use of LED street lights. Data shows that the illumination achieved is only 75 per cent. Highly placed sources said that about 40 per cent of LED street lights installed in the central, south and west zones were either dysfunctional or were facing frequent repairs due to improper installation by unskilled labour. Besides, 16,000 LED street lights have been not switched on for a year.
The corporation said it had saved `15 crore by sacking 570 workers in the electricity wing. Previously, the corporation was spending `10 crore annually towards maintenance of street lights, which is now borne by the agency which bagged the LED project. Dysfunctional lights have saved about `10 crore over the year in power bills. Sources said the corporation was projecting false numbers to impress political bosses.
A senior GHMC official said electricity load has been reduced by 50 per cent through 4,06,729 LED street lights. He said huge sums had been saved on labour, maintenance and dysfunctional lights.
"Even though illumination rate is low, we could manage to save `48.70 crore. We will make payments to ESSL only after repairs and achieving illumination rate as per the agreement", the official added.