ISLAMABAD: The civic agency has decided to hire consultant for preparing feasibility to shift streetlights and other offices on solar energy.

The decision of hiring consultant was taken in a meeting, held at Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) offices.

Chaired by CDA Chairman Mohammad Usman Younis, the meeting was attended by members of Engineering, Planning and Design and other officers concerned.

A press release said that Chairman CDA instructed that considering the future needs of Islamabad city- a consultant be engaged to identify and select suitable places for installation of clean and green energy equipment so that a financial feasibility report could be prepared after selecting suitable locations.

He further said that PC-II should be prepared at the earliest and presented for approval in the next meeting. The CDA chief further said that clean and green energy project is the most important need of the country at present and CDA will make itself a modern organisation and will do its best to shift all streetlights and offices of the CDA to this project.

The press release quoted the chairman as saying that shifting the lights on solar system would not only improve energy saving but will also significantly reduce costs.

In Islamabad there are over 40,000 streetlights and CDA and Islamabad Electric Supply Company remained at loggerhead over the billing system.

Last year, both organisations issued harsh statements against each other.

Meanwhile, a press release said that CDA on Tuesday conducted grand operations against illegal constructions in different areas of Islamabad. As a result of these operations, dozens of illegal constructions demolished with the help of heavy machinery.

During these operations 60 kanals land was retrieved and also 13 truckloads of encroachment material was also confiscated.

These operations were started from Mouza Kuri Dhok Balag, a suburb of Islamabad, where the land mafia was trying to occupy the government land. Revenue Department CDA carried out demarcation process. These constructions were found on the land acquired by CDA. In the light of the indications of environment department, the attempt of 60 kanals land by demolishing the vast four walls built on the CDA land was foiled, the press release said.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2022