Buy two get one offer to prevent LED bulbs from getting wasted; KSEB's filament-free Kerala project becoming a liability

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LED bulbs purchased by KSEB for distribution to the people have expired after lying in the office unused. With this, the filament-free Kerala project implemented as part of the sustainable energy policy have become a liability for KSEB. An amount of Rs 54.88 crore was spent. The Energy Management Centre has to be paid Rs 7.36 crore for its collaboration with the project.

Of the 1.17 crore LED bulbs purchased as part of the Urja Kerala Mission, 2.19 lakh are lying unused and 81,000 of the 1.83 lakh LED bulbs purchased as part of the Domestic Lighting Efficiency Programme are lying unused. The three-year guarantee period ended on October 31 this year. Old CFL and incandescent bulbs were collected from homes at KSEB's offices to attract people to LED. They have been purchased at the rate of Rs 5 per bulb for processing but nothing was done. The KSEB's effort is to remove the unused LED bulbs by distributing them to anganwadis, BPL houses using electricity below 50 units, and hospitals, and by providing one LED free of cost to those who are willing to buy two.

The filament-free Kerala project was launched in 2018. The decision was to impose a ban on the sale of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and incandescent (filament) bulbs from November 2018 and to make it mandatory for everyone to use LED bulbs.

LED was purchased from private firms such as Crompton Greaves at a cost of crores of rupees on a three-year guarantee. The decision was to provide 80 lakh domestic consumers with LED free of cost in exchange of old bulbs. It was also decided to use light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs on street lights. The filament-free Kerala project was implemented jointly by the Kerala State Electricity Board and the Kerala Energy Management Centre.

Customers did not show interest

• Of the 80 lakh domestic consumers, only 19 lakh have shown interest in the scheme. The price of LED, which was targeted to be offered by KSEB at Rs 65, has come down to Rs 50 in the general market. With this, the plan failed.
• The project was initiated by pointing out that LED bulbs are energy efficient and have very low levels of waste. Filament bulbs contain a mercury element. The argument was that when it collapses, it will cause pollution in nature.
• The government decided to sell nine-watt LED bulbs at a lower price. In 2018, Peelikode in Kasargod district became the first filament-free panchayat in the country. Subsequently, crores of rupees were allocated for the implementation of the project in the entire state.