New Delhi: Greenpeace India launched its campaign to make streets of Delhi safe for women and children by lighting up dark spots using solar street lighting systems.
The environmental group launched its report on clean electricity prepared in partnership with National Institute of Urban Affairs on Wednesday.
The climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace India, Pujarini Sen said that India’s developmental challenges do not need repetitive rhetoric, it needs creative solutions.
“Greenpeace’s sustainable street lighting proposal is a creative solution that not only addresses the issue of women’s safety, but also helps Delhi save taxpayer money in the long run, and adopt a non-polluting pathway,” Sen said.
“implementing solar street light systems in all of the 700 dark spots will cost the government less than Rs10 crore [Rs100 million or Dh5.7 million.”
She added that the programme will help meet Delhi’s renewable purchase obligation target by over 6 per cent. This design can be replicated for central government’s smart cities plan.
“Greenpeace will meet the Delhi government next week and submit its report,” the organisation spokesperson said.
“The government has proposed solutions in terms of deploying women security forces in the dark spots. However, the effectiveness of women security force would be lost without adequate lighting.”
On April 9, central government blocked Greenpeace India’s bank accounts for which the environmental group had to seek interim relief from the Delhi High Court.
In 2013, Greenpeace launched a successful solar rooftop campaign titled ‘Switch on the Sun’.
Greenpeace submitted its report to the Delhi Development Commission on April 27.
