The Commissioner General of Essential Services, B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi has issued a new set of guidelines to ensure the sparing use of fuel and electricity, citing possible disruptions to fuel imports due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East.
The guidelines, released on Monday (23) to all Ministry Secretaries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, District Secretaries, and heads of statutory institutions, outline measures for staff transport, fuel management, and energy conservation in government offices.
Officials have been instructed to use public transport or carpooling instead of individual vehicles when reporting for duty, and to prepare daily transport plans that minimize the number of vehicles used for fieldwork.
Heads of institutions have also been directed to arrange online work methods, such as Zoom or Google Meet, where technical facilities exist, to reduce unnecessary travel.
On electricity conservation, the guidelines call for maximizing natural light, using fans instead of air conditioning where possible, minimizing the use of lifts, and promoting staircases.
Street lamps controlled by local authorities should be switched off when unnecessary, while lights on roads outside high‑security zones should be temporarily turned off.
Advertising screens and televisions in institutions are to be deactivated during daytime, and offices should remain closed after working hours and on weekends except in essential circumstances.
Commissioner General of Essential Services B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi stated that, in the face of the prevailing global situation, all state officials must act as examples to the public for national energy security. (Newswire)
