Pb to cut down 'reckless' energy consumption in govt buildings

The Punjab State Council of Science and Technology (PSCST) was today asked to undertake an energy audit of all government buildings and educational institutions in the state to cut down on "reckless" energy consumption and "hefty" expenditure.

Orders in this regard were issued by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today while chairing the 13th meeting of the Pushpa Gujral Science City (PGSC) Society here, an official spokesperson said.

The move is aimed at promoting energy conservation and at the same time, cutting down on the hefty expenditure on electricity, presently being incurred at these buildings.

Expressing concern over the "reckless energy consumption in government buildings, institutions and offices, the chief minister said the audit would help in saving electricity in the larger public interest, thereby leading to conservation of the dwindling energy resources".

The chief minister's directive came after PSCST Executive Director Jatinder Kaur Arora apprised the meeting of the energy audit carried out by the Council of the Pushpa Gujral Science City (PGSC), followed by the implementation of various energy conservation measures at a meagre investment of Rs 1.7 lakh that led to energy saving to the tune of Rs 12 lakh per annum.

The PGSC was awarded the National Energy Conservation Award by the President of India for the project.

The council has also carried out energy audit of several other building complexes such as the 'Viraasat-E-Khalsa', the 'Mandi Board', the Inder Kumar Gujral Punjab Technical University, besides various industries.

During the meeting, the chief minister also gave his approval to the PGSC for the upgradation of the Science City theatre from 3D to 5D.

He was informed that a gallery on 'Robotic Dinosaurs' was being set up in PPP mode, while the IMAX FILM "Everest" was all set to be relaunched, on public demand, from June this year in the space theatre of the Science City.

Amarinder Singh was further apprised of various other programmes of the PGSC, including a mobile science exhibition for rural masses, door-step Night Sky Watching, and an Innovation Hub, that provided facilities to youngsters to nurture new ideas and boost inquisitiveness.

The chief minister lauded the efforts made by the PGSC to infuse scientific temper among students. Nearly 3.5 lakh students visited the Science City last year, of which 1.5 lakh were from government schools across the state under the 'Mukh Mantri Vigyan Yatra' drive.

The secretary school education of Punjab said his department would plan to arrange visits by over two lakh government school students during the current academic session.