Bhubaneswar, June 22: The development authority has initiated a process to replace the CFL bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs at its parks across the city to save energy and ensure sustainability in the environment.

The compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is a fluorescent light designed to replace an incandescent light bulb, while a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb is a product having a lifespan and electrical efficiency several times greater than incandescent lamps.

To begin with, the Bhub-aneswar Development Authority will install LED bulbs at the Indira Gandhi Park, Biju Patnaik Park and the Dumduma Housing Board Colony Park. The authority will spend about Rs 51.82 lakh - a major chunk of the money will be utilised at the Biju park since it is the biggest among the three.

"We have decided to replace the CFL bulbs with the energy efficient LED lamps at all the parks maintained by us. In the first phase, the work will be executed at the three parks while in the later phases, all other parks will have LED illumination," said the authority's chief horticulturist Ashoka Nanda Dhar.

Residents and environmentalists have welcome the administration's move to replace the traditional lighting with the energy efficient ones. "The LED bulbs save 80 per cent of energy as compare to the CFL lamps, which save about 40 per cent. It is a good move of the development authority to replace the CFL bulbs at the parks," said environmentalist Alok Mohanty.

Another environmentalist Sailabala Padhi said the CFL bulbs had major disadvantages for the environment because of the presence of mercury in it. "It is difficult to dispose of a CFL bulb or lamp, and if done unscientifically, the mercury might affect the environment whereas it is not the same with the LED bulbs. The Union government has also include the CFL into the e-waste rules for the same reason," said Padhi.

Sources said the work would be executed by an expert agency selected through a tendering process to be finalised by the end of June and the executor would get 30 days to get the job done at all the three parks. The authorities are also planning to install decorative LED lightings at the three parks.

While the development authority has taken the step to replace the CFL lamps with the LED bulbs, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation is yet to replace the lights at the parks maintained by them. A senior civic body official said they would put the proposal before the state government to replicate the development body's move.