Chandigarh, August 27
In a bid to prevent wastage of energy, the Haryana Government has decided to reduce consumption of electricity in its offices.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, here last evening. It was decided to cut electricity consumption in government offices by 30 per cent over a two-year period.

It was also decided to issue immediate instructions to all departments, boards and corporations of the state government to enforce measures to achieve a minimum of 15 per cent reduction in power consumption during the current financial year. Consumption would be reduced by 15 per cent more in the next year, it was decided. An energy audit would be carried out in all the government offices to identify measures to be initiated to achieve this target, official sources said.

Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary, Chairperson of Power Utilities, who is Principal Secretary, Non-Conventional Energy Sources Department, said after the meeting a ban would be imposed on the purchase of conventional lighting system.

Ms Chaudhary reportedly said use of conventional energy would be discouraged in gaushalas, instead gobar gas plants would be installed to meet their energy requirements. In case of police complexes, jail barracks, canteens, restaurants, hospitals and educational institutions, use of solar energy would be encouraged. Solar photo-voltaic lighting system would also be encouraged for homes, streetlights and water pumps, she said.

Steps would be taken to install solar photo-voltaic lighting system in all government buildings including Haryana Bhavan in New Delhi as well as Haryana Nivas and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh.

She stated that a comprehensive energy audit would also be carried out on the water and sewerage pumping system installed by municipal committees and Public Health Department to ensure a 15 pc cut in energy consumption during the current year. This audit would also cover lift irrigation pumps.