Gandhinagar, June 26 : The Gujarat government has launched a statewide energy conservation campaign across all government and semi-government offices, public sector boards, corporations and public buildings, making it mandatory to set air conditioners (ACs) at a default temperature of 24 degrees Celsius and requiring departments to prepare energy efficiency action plans within 45 days.

The campaign, jointly launched by the state's Energy and Petrochemicals Department and Roads and Buildings Department, aims to reduce unnecessary electricity consumption without affecting official work, while improving energy efficiency, financial discipline and environmental sustainability.

The government has also announced that offices showcasing outstanding performance in electricity conservation will be recognised under the initiative.

According to the guidelines, all lights, fans, air conditioners and computer systems must be switched off after office hours, during weekends and on public holidays.

Heads of offices have been directed to ensure that electrical equipment in the cabins of officers on leave or field duty is also switched off through daily monitoring.

Every major department will appoint a nodal officer to oversee the implementation of the measures. In line with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) notification, the default temperature setting of air conditioners in all government offices has been fixed at 24 degrees Celsius.

To minimise electricity wastage caused by manual operation, occupancy sensors and timer-based automation control systems will be installed in office corridors, meeting rooms, parking areas and toilets.

Water coolers will also be switched off after office hours at 6 p.m. and restarted only after 9 a.m.

The government said all conventional lighting in government buildings will gradually be replaced with energy-efficient LED lights, while future procurement will prioritise only 5-star rated electrical equipment.

As part of measures to reduce energy consumption in urban areas, municipal corporations and municipalities will synchronise street lighting operated through the Centralised Control Monitoring System (CCMS) with the astronomical timings of sunrise and sunset, a move expected to save about 60 minutes of electricity every day.

On a pilot basis, alternate street lights will also be switched off between midnight and 4 a.m. during periods of low traffic.

The guidelines also encourage greater use of staircases instead of lifts in multi-storey government buildings through awareness campaigns and posters.

Departments have been advised to maximise the use of natural daylight during office hours to reduce dependence on artificial lighting. Government offices with suitable open spaces have been asked to plan the installation of solar power systems.

The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) will inspect existing solar installations on government buildings and ensure that non-functional systems are restored and operate at their intended capacity.

The government said all departments must submit an "Office Energy Efficiency Action Plan" to GEDA within 45 days.

They will also be required to submit quarterly energy consumption reports and undergo mandatory annual energy audits by third-party auditors.

"The initiative is being implemented under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of Energy and Petrochemicals Minister Rushikesh Patel," officials said.

The government said the campaign is intended to promote energy efficiency, sustainable development, cost-effectiveness and increased use of renewable energy across the public sector while maintaining operational efficiency.

/IANS