Solar power
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 17 2013:
Having successfully covered 200 villages with over 10,000 solar street lamps, Manipur Renewable Energy Development agency (MANIREDA) is turning its focus on illuminating district headquarters and main streets of the capital city.
In view of the State's poor electricity supply situation, Manireda initially concentrated on providing solarpowered lights to the villages and while the illumination process is still underway the Agency has started to focus on lighting up the streets of the twin capital districts, said a Manireda official.
Under its new plan, Manireda has started to install solar street lights on the Palace Gate to New Checkon section of Imphal East district since September last.
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It is said that the Agency aims to complete installation of solar street lights based on Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs from the Palace Gate traffic point upto Minuthong Hatta, for which MAHUD has also approved the programme.
Informing that a total of 81 LED solar street lamps would be installed in this section, the official pointed out that the conventional 12 feet high lamp posts would be replaced by posts of 21 feet to avoid battery theft.
Conceding that theft of batteries from solar street lamp posts is an impediment to the Agency's plan for providing light to the people, the official exuded confidence that placing the battery component on a higher level would ensure safe-keeping of batteries, which could last for five years before the battery fluid is replenished.
The LED bulbs, with inbuilt auto switch mechanism, used in solar street lighting system is also said to last for 50,000 hours, with the official stating that fund for solar street lighting is being provided under a specific programme of the Central Government.