Street Lights at mid-noon! Why?

These pictures tell you the carelessness towards the saving of Electricity that we pay for, as part of our taxes every month. Why are using CFLs at our home to save energy when the BMC / Reliance Energy or the concerned authorities can waste it just like this? Yes, we do use CFLs because it saves us money. But why cant the government or government appointed agencies not save money too? After all, its coming from our pockets. Tax Payers.

Street Light and its misuse: You can see the Sun right in the middle, denotes Mid-noon
Street Light and its misuse: You can see the Sun right in the middle, denotes Mid-noon
Street Light and its misuse
Street Light and its misuse

This has to be dealt with very very seriously. I tried calling the Reliance Energy Calling via your customer care took ages as it asked for a customer a/c number which i don’t have as I don’t stay in the area where they provide power services. Finally, I sent a mail to their email address (energy.helpdesk @ relianceada.com). Will wait now to hear from them. The Request number that I was provided by a return mail is: DWML11091353

In the evening when I left from office at 8.30, surprisingly the Street lights were off!! This certainly was absurd to know that the whole day when sun was glowing hot, the street lights were full and working. But at night, when they are actually required to work, they were switched off!

Update: 09 May 2011

I am yet to get reply from them, however today too I saw the same wastage of energy. I will be observing this stretch of the road for some days to come and will keep updating this post.

Update: 11 May 2011

They did reply today but the request number is different from what I received in the first mail. May be the request number changed when I sent three mails in all. I don’t mind it as long as action is taken.

Reply from Reliance Energy:

Sub: {DSTL11000313} [REPLY2] Response to your e-mail dated 06/05/2011.

Dear Customer,

Warm Greetings from Reliance Energy!

With reference to your e-mail dated 06/05/2011, kindly note that the matter has been forwarded to relevant authorities for appropriate action.

Further necessary contact on the matter would be made by the respective authorities, as required.

Warm regards,
Customer Service Team
Reliance Energy

I hope the action is taken soon enough.

26 Comments
  1. Ranjith says

    That is the way things keep working in India, where no one seems to be bothered about anything because it is the resource of teh community. How did you strike up with the idea of taking photographs at that moment?
    -Ranjith

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Ranjith 🙂 welcome to my blog! and thanks for your comments.

      As for your question, in today’s world you have your camera always with you, under the skin of your phone. I knew the moment I take up this matter with the respective authorities (or finding one if you may) I had to have proof to show. When I walked back to my office, I saw this tree which was surrounding the street light and it seemed perfect to me that I take the Sun and Streetlight in one frame. And since I was under the Tree, I could even capture the sun, with otherwise wont have been possible as the picture would have turned very very bright.

  2. tushar says

    this is really neat work. Am sure Anil would realise that with all such largesse that his group proliforates is the real reason for holes in his balance sheet

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you very much Tushar bhai for your comments, and welcome to my blog!

      yep, i think so much of a carelessness across his large enterprises do plot a hole in his b/s.

  3. Pratik Rach says

    There are so many Indian villages who are still grappling with the darkness due to the shortage of electricity & instances like these boils my blood. If it boils your blood as well, you must register to volunteer with Jaago Re. If you think you are cool with it, then check this link out- http://www.jaagore.com/register/member

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you Pratik, welcome to my blog.

      Thank you for the link. I will surely have a look at time.

  4. pramod says

    it must be some automated system goof up. a.m. instead of p.m.
    nicely taken. awareness is necessary.
    thumbs up.

    1. Hemal says

      May be! But I am yet to hear from Reliance guys. Will send them an update today.. thank you for your inspiring comment sir 😀

  5. Kripa says

    Hi Hemal,

    Thanks for the initiative that you have taken. Many of us might have seen the same situation but we have not responded thinking its not our business. But you have…
    Congratulations for the good work and thanks too… This is really an inspiring one…

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you very much Kripa and welcome to my blog!!

      This is what I wish to change by doing my bit! In the past, even I have ignored. In this age of Internet, it only takes 2 mins to send an email. Its effort less, but very valuable time of yours..

      I hope many others too start.. 🙂 and once again, thanks for inspirational comment…

  6. Madhumathi says

    Nice point to point out at the govt. about saving energy… Very good post hemal ji.. 🙂

    Hope, they take action soon 🙂

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you for your comment MM.. and please, no ji or jee after my name 😛

  7. Arti says

    Haha these people are really great! How they manage all these things, i mean on during the day, off at night, this part really baffles me no end …?! 😀
    Anyways, Superb work Hemal, I hope action is taken soon!

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you very much Arti 🙂

      It baffled me to no end too, and that prompted me to follow up with Reliance even more rigorousness.

  8. Lakshmi Rajan says

    Great work Hemal. If we want to correct the system, bring on the positive change instead of cribbing and blaming, we should take the initiative to change it and you did really a great work 🙂 Kudos!

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Sir, welcome to my blog! 🙂 Thank you very much for your kind comments. It coming from you is itself a greater complement 🙂

      Yes Lakshmi, we should correct the system by doing our bit bcoz if we don’t care, others wont.

  9. Mohini Puranik says

    I liked the pic most, the sun and the street light. It’s nice, India has responsible citizens like you, hope this will change. We had same problem here plus 6 to 7 Hrs. daily power cut. But now, it is changed, street lights are off in morning, but many times they are off in night too! 🙁

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Thank you for your comments Mohini..

      I know how tough it is to bear the 7 hours power cut. Believe me, i have been through it and thankfully I don’t have to face it for now.

      The biggest problem for Maharashtra Board (MSEB) is that it is obliged to provide power to Mumbai if it runs short of it even if means people of Maharashtra (out of Mumbai) suffer outrageous power cuts.

      Street lights are simply meant for the nights and there is no point of having them if they don’t work in the nights.

  10. R-A-J says

    Very ironic..but nice to know u’re doing ur bit towards it.. think u cud put the pic on fb n start a vote or sumthin..the more the ppl, the more the recognition…hopefully brand conscious companies like reliance will take notice..

    But hats of 2 u, Hemal!!!
    🙂

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Hey Raj, welcome to my blog and thank you very much for your comments.

      I tried posting on Facebook and it didnt get on well. These days, as I noticed, it hardly takes an hour for my post to be invisible from the facebook wall of my friends. As you see, its mostly coz there are so many people who are active, so many applications that churn out 4-5 posts back to back! I loose my space over there dude..

  11. umesh derebail says

    Good way to tackle street light being switched off is to ensure that the morning walkers switch it off as a routine. good wake up call

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Wow, that is a nice idea. I will recommend it when I can voice it out! Hope the media is listening!

      Welcome to my blog Umesh!

  12. Ahimaaz says

    Nice touch, especially the first picture with the circles. EB, Reliance, or whatever must be daylight blind! Real sad

    1. Hemal Shah says

      Welcome to my blog Ahimaaz!

      Yes, it does appear that they turned daylight blind… [nice way to express.. 🙂 btw] and it becomes real sad when the lights are turned off during the night..

  13. Hemal Shah says

    Even today, the same thing happened !!!

  14. Hemal says

    ironically, the street lights are not working when it is required at night. Wonderfull

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