Solar-power lights in Ramli District
Residents of a high-tech environmentally friendly community have expressed a dim view of the solar-powered street lighting they claim is not bright enough.
More than 100 residents of the Ramli District, which currently has more than 1,200 social homes, submitted a petition to the Northern Municipal Council seeking action over what they describe as ‘faint candle candelabras’ failing to do the task intended.
The council has unanimously approved an urgent proposal by area councillor Abdulla Ashoor to have the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) to either increase the halos of current 1,500 solar-powered streetlights, replace them with improved versions, or, as a temporary measure, add conventional lighting.
“There is an issue with current solar-powered streetlights – they are so dim that people are finding it difficult to leave their homes at night,” he added. “It is like driving through ghostly candle candelabras and I’m surprised people don’t fall asleep at the wheel!”
Under the proposal, councillors have urged the authorities to replace all light bulbs, with better performing ones.
The residential district, fully funded by the Saudi Development Fund as part of its Gulf Development Programme, was opened more than three years ago.
EWA officials said they had already approached the fund to have the Saudi supplier change burnt-out bulbs with higher specification replacements following similar concerns voiced on the complaints app Tawasul and they were awaiting a response.
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