The start of 2016 has definitely been positive for the Coimbatore Corporation as the city’s energy efficiency policy has helped it bag an award of the Central Government.

The Corporation has been selected for its effective measures in installing solar power panels in its main building and other buildings controlled by it.

The award would be given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The Corporation had received the prize in 2013 and the then Corporation Commissioner G. Latha had received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee under the same category.

“Under the Urban Local Bodies category of having maximum number of renewable energy installation, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CMCC) is one among the three ULBs in India to be awarded Rs. 10 lakh along with a shield for adopting and promoting the energy efficient solar/green buildings,” a communiqué said.

Lauding the efforts of the city in being the only city in the state in implementing the project effectively, the communiqué also said that CMCC had installed 90 Kwp capacity solar power plants at 12 higher secondary schools with a capacity of 7.5Kwp each between 2015 and 2016.

The corporation had earlier on in 2014 – 2015 installed 50 Kwp capacity power plants in its main office and 7.5 kwp each in its maternity centres. It has further appreciated the efforts of the Corporation in replacing the conventional lights with energy efficient LED lights in administrative offices, zonal offices, ward offices, division offices and some streets.

The Corporation has also planned to install rooftop solar power plants in all the buildings under its pilot solar city programme and more than 28 spots have been already fitted with solar power plants in the Corporation limit.