Post news network
Bhubaneswar, March 25: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is contemplating to sensitise people on conservation of electricity and importance of environment and climate change in the upcoming Earth Hour to be marked March 28.
The civic body will spread awareness on Earth Hour campaign through its Facebook page—‘Swaccha Bhubaneswar Abhijan’ which was unveiled by the BMC October 2, 2014.
Notably, the Earth Hour is observed between 8.30pm and 9.30pm globally on the fourth Saturday of March every year to raise environmental awareness among citizens.
The campaign was started in 2007 and the state has been actively participating in the event for the past seven years by switching off the lights of iconic buildings, including a few historical ones, to mark the campaign.
A city-based voluntary organisation has written to the state culture department to turn off the façade lights of some of the tourism sites like Muketswar, Konark Sun temple and Rajarani temple during the Earth Hour so that it can inspire residents to understand the importance of global warming and its relation with energy conservation.
Though the BMC is yet to decide whether to switch off the advertisement hoarding lights and hi-mast street lights, it has decided to urge people to turn off all lights in the residential and commercial establishments for an hour.
“We will spread awareness for the cause through our Facebook page. However, a detailed plan is yet to be chalked out by us,” BMC additional commissioner D Brundha said.
The state secretariat and East coast railway (ECoR) joined the campaign last year, Commissionerate Police started switching off the lights for an hour in 2012.
“We have urged the BMC to switch off lights of roof-top hoardings to save electricity but the corporation is yet to reply,” said, co-founder Piyush Ranjan Rout of Local Governance Network, a voluntary organisation.“The proposal is under consideration,” an ECoR spokesperson said.
