President to join millions in observing Earth Hour

President Pranab Mukherjee will join millions of Indians in observing Earth Hour on Saturday by switching off all non-essential lights in the sprawling Rashtrapati Bhavan complex to spread the message of energy conservation.

All non-essential lights in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the President’s Estate spread across a 320-acre expanse will be switched off from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm to observe Earth Hour, according to a Bhavan statement.

The residents of President’s Estate were being advised to switch off lights and electrical gadgets in their houses for an hour, it added.

More than 7,000 cities in 172 countries are expected to take part in the world’s largest ever demonstration, which has grown from a single World Wildlife Fund (WWF) event in Sydney in 2007.

Some of the world’s most famous landmarks will turn their lights off. The UN building in New York will join London’s Houses of Parliament, Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In Delhi, power distribution companies were gearing up for the event by sending out mobile text messages and memos to individual households, resident welfare associations, business houses and communities urging them to switch off all lights for an hour to conserve energy.

Air Force installations across the country will also join the campaign. The IAF has urged all personnel and family to participate in this global event.

Last year, Delhi had saved 250 MW of power by switching of non-essential lights for an hour.