The city corporation is set to initiate physical verification of LED lights installed by KSEB in wards as part of a scheme to convert all street lights to LED. In a meeting convened by mayor K Sreekumar on Friday, it was decided that KSEB shall furnish utilisation certificate (UC) for installing LED lights and line extension by December 31.
“The meeting ended on a positive note for the corporation. KSEB agreed to furnish UCs for amount deposited under various heads by December 31. Besides they have assured us of timely completion of maintenance works,” the mayor said.
The corporation had initially deposited Rs 9.13 crore and then another Rs 8.99 crore with KSEB for installing LED lights. Besides Rs 4.88 crore was utilized for purchasing LED lights. A total of 5,900 green-coloured LED lights were also bought as part of the project. An amount of Rs 5 crore was deposited for line-extension. The officials had communicated that UC was pending from KSEB for all these works, following which the mayor convened an emergency meeting.
It was also communicated that KSEB had not furnished UCs for amount deposited during 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2012-13 and 2013-14. The officials said physical verification will be conducted to cross-check the UCs which will be furnished by KSEB.
KSEB furnished UCs for a portion of works undertaken during the past one year on Friday. The corporation also raised the point of delay in attending to complaints regarding street lights. The corporation has planned to install 200 LED lights per ward in the first phase and 190 LED lights per ward in the second phase. The project aimed at installation of 54,800 LED lights between 2016-17 and 2018-19. Now, 20,000 LED lights have been installed in wards.
The corporation has demanded ward-level UC for these lights. “KSEB has presented the issue of producing ward-level UCs because they have prepared electrical section-wise details. However, we have envisaged the project based on each ward and we have to get ward-wise report. KSEB has agreed to furnish the same and we shall be doing physical verification as well,” a project official said.
The corporation is also shelling out a sizable sum for replacement of existing lights. Dismantling of one set of fluorescent tube fitting from pole or sodium vapour/metal halide lamp fitting is being done at a cost of Rs 500 – Rs 1565 per unit. The work at Poonthura electrical section alone cost Rs 99,141.
In the meantime, the corporation gave Rs 31.86 lakh to Kerala state industrial enterprises for supplying spare parts, and supply order was also placed for an amount of Rs 42.1 lakh. The annual maintenance contract for high-mast light was also awarded to KSIE at a rate of Rs 46,586 per unit.
Source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com