Experts warn consumers against using locally-sourced LED bulbs

Consumers should use only BIS-marked LED bulbs as locally-sourced electric lamps without proper certification could harm the eye, officials of two government-run energy agencies said.
Every LED lamp should be put through a photo biological test to ensure they have adequate protection against the blue light that LEDs emit, said Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Secretary Sanjay Seth and Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) Managing Director Saurabh Kumar.
They were addressing a press conference organised on the sidelines of the BRICS Working Group meet on energy saving and energy efficiency here.
"Locally-sourced LED bulbs could be harmful to the eye. Hence, only Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) marked and those that passed the photo biological test should be purchased and used," they said.

The EESL was now supplying 9W LED bulb for Rs 85 each to domestic consumers.
"Andhra Pradesh is leading all states in the country in terms of LED usage. It has emerged as a role model," Kumar pointed out.

Seth also praised AP and the State Energy Conservation Mission for aggressively implementing energy efficiency measures.
"Government policies are implemented in the right earnest in Andhra Pradesh. We have had Indo-US and Indo-Swiss bilateral and they are ready to work with AP because of the tremendous work done here," Seth maintained.
AP has emerged as a model in implementing the Energy Efficiency Building Code (EBC), he said. "We are now going to set up a permanent cell to assist States in implementing the EBC under a programme funded by the UNDP."

Union Additional Secretary (Power) B P Pandey said 10 States in the country have agreed to implement the EBC.