AGARTALA, June 19 (TIWN): On yet another momentum for the Tripura Left front government, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC)prepares to receive a national level award for adopting ‘low power consumption’ policy for the Tripura capital Agartala, said AMC Mayor Dr. Prafullajit Sinha on Thursday. The AMC has introduced LED lighting across the city areas by replacing the old bulbs with at least 33816 old street lights were replaced by the LED lamps so far. According to the official sources the entire process of installing the LED lights has not yet been completed. “It is expected that we can finish up the work by the month of June this year,” the source added.

Talking to TIWN on Thursday Sinha said, “Because we have successfully adopted the policy of low power consumption by installing the LED lights across the city, a national level award has been announce for us.”

Adding to that he said that the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) can save at least Rs 2 crore on its electricity bill by switching to the LED lamps. The AMC will not have to spend anything on capital investment, operation and maintenance of the LED-based lighting system in Agartala for the first seven years, the official said later

However, interestingly the AMC yet again managed to prepare to receive the national award soon, despite amongst the LED lights installed, so far many of them were already damaged and are out of order. Talking to TIWN in this regard the AMC electrical department informed that due to the rain and the scorching heat of the sun the electricians are unable to work. “We would soon restore the problems with those LED lights which went out of order,” official said.  

The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) to put up LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights in the entire Agartala city. With a population of around five lakh, the AMC is the northeast India's oldest municipal body. The Agartala Municipal Council was tuned into Municipal Corporation last year. Agartala is the second largest city in northeast India after Guwahati in Assam.

The official informed that the Union Ministry of Urban Development had recently sought the detailed report on LED light installation project from AMC and the report has already been sent.

The EESL, a joint venture of PSUs of the union power ministry, carries out and promotes the business of energy efficiency and climate change, including manufacture and supply of energy efficient services, and products and implement energy efficient projects.