Solar power to light up KMC parks

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has proposed to install solar lights in all its parks, Debashis Kumar, member, mayor of council (parks and squares) said on Friday.

This will help KMC to reduce its electricity bills and it is also eco-friendly.

There are 70O parks in KMC area. The solar lamps have been installed in 28 parks and they will be installed in all of them soon.

Kumar said, Deshpriya Park was selected as the first park to install solar lamps on experimental basis. Apart from reducing electricity bills, it also helped the birds living on the trees. It may be recalled that environmentalists had taken KMC to task when many birds died due to installation of trident lamps. The birds could not sleep because of the powerful lamps and died of sleep deprivation. The carcasses of birds were found lying on the roads of Ballygunge lake.

Kumar said that after beautification of parks, many birds are staying on trees. Every Sunday bird watchers are found taking their photographs. Some Ornithologists come with their students to get them acquainted with variety of birds.

He said the entire stretch on Southern Avenue will be beautified. The boulevards will be decorated and benches will be installed so that elderly people can sit and enjoy the evening breeze. Almost all the parks have been beautified and new saplings have been planted. The department has laid stress on their upkeep and maintenance. 

The KMC has purchased some vehicle to water the plants that have been installed on the pavement and road medians. People are well aware in the area as they are not destroying the plans nor are they spitting on the walls, he said.