‘Switch off’ more – Dullas

Cabinet Spokesman Dullas Alahapperuma said roughly 474,000 street lights are installed across the country, with 18,000 street lights in Colombo alone requiring 26 MW to illuminate.

He said this was why the Government is urging people to turn off lights that are not in use and help resolve the electricity crisis.

During the weekly cabinet briefing yesterday (8), he said this was only a request, not an order, and that as MPs; they have a huge responsibility to show how to overcome the power crisis.

“There are seven million electricity users in Sri Lanka, and if these consumers decided to turn off a 25 watt bulb, it would help overcome the power crisis,” he said.

In response to a question about Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila’s statement that they are assisting the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation by providing fuel on time due to the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination, Alahappeurma said Gammanpila made the statement out of concern and that people should not interpret it harshly.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By Thameenah Razeek)