Order to switch off street lights irks Electricity Consumers’ Association

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Electricity Consumers’ Association yesterday expressed its dismay at Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s call for switching off all street lights until 31 March to conserve electricity.

Minister Rajapaksa asked all heads of Local Government institutions to switch off street lights in their areas.

Association’s Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said that while switching off street lights could save some electricity, the negative externalities created could outweigh the electricity savings.

“I think this is something no other

government has done. Streetlamps serve several purposes from deterring thieves to ensuring the safety of pedestrians. Without them there can be an increase in crimes and accidents,” he said.

The Finance Minister has written this letter a few days after the government declared that there was no fuel shortage.

“Now suddenly, things are so bad we are switching off street lights. The government must tell people the truth. There are many other things to do than switching off street lamps to conserve electricity” Dhammika said.

The Finance Minister also instructed heads of Local Government institutions to formulate plan to conserve electricity

The Finance Minister has said that diesel plants have to be used for power generation as hydropower generation capacity had decreased.