1 hr of darkness in city = 3 hrs of light in 25,000 Wada homes

Goldin Quadros,interim state director of WWF India,said,“We collected data provided by two major electricity suppliers in Mumbai — the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport and Reliance Power. Their combined figures show that 23,000 KW was saved between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm last Saturday,in comparison with the energy used during the same time the previous Saturday.”

On an average,a one-bedroom flat uses about 2 KW electricity a day,it is believed.

In Mumbai,BEST provides power to the island city — from Colaba to Sion and Bandra — and Reliance,in the suburbs,up to Ghatkopar and Dahisar.

Vivek Devasthale,spokesperson of Reliance Power,confirmed that in their records around 14.5 megawatts (nearly 15,000 KW) were saved during the switchoff hour in the suburbs.

Prominent places that went dark in the city included the Air India Building,Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus station,the BMC building,RBI building,the Mayor’s bungalow. In the suburbs,places like Powai’s IIT- Bombay,Godrej Colony,Bandra’s Mount Mary area and the Neelkant Gardens in Govandi joined the movement. While most citizens remained oblivious of the Earth Hour,some residential buildings in the western and the central suburban pockets took on the baton.

Quadros pointed out that Earth Hour was also celebrated by several residents in areas of Powai,Vikhroli,Mulund,Bhandup,Thane — which fall under the MSEB supply — but their efforts could not be tracked yet. “This was an awareness campaign,and the citizens are already seeing how much energy can be saved in just one hour. If the entire city manages to save 23,000 KW/H power everyday,we could probably help an entire village on the outskirts of the city with electricity,” he said.

Shibani Sutaria,a member of the Mount Mary ALM,agreed,“ Earth Hour was not just a statement against global warming,but also a time to get together and socialise with neighbours.”