Key highlights
- Recently Kerala Finance Minister announced that state will impose a ban on the sale of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and incandescent (filament) bulbs starting November 2020 as part of sustainable energy policy
- Last year, Peelikode in Kasaragod district became the first panchayat in the country to be completely filament-free.
- The streetlights and bulbs in government offices across the state will be converted to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs
- The announcement is in line withthe government project of ‘Filament-free Kerala’ envisaged in 2018 as part of the state’s Urja Kerala mission.
About Filament-free Kerala project
- The project is implemented by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Energy Management Centre, Kerala.
- Under this project, consumers in the state can place orders for LED bulbs on the KSEB website in exchange for existing filament bulbs.
- Nine-watt LED bulbs are being sold at reduced prices by the government to encourage usage.
- The project is also part of the long-term sustainable energy policy of the Kerala government to reduce the dependence on conventional energy sources and instead maximise potential on renewable sources like solar and hydel power.
Why ban?
- LED bulbs are more energy-efficient than filament or CFL bulbs and will, therefore, generate less waste.
- Also, filament bulbs contain the mercury element which, when broken, is polluting in nature.
