Shillong, Oct 11: The State Cabinet has approved the Meghalaya Energy Conservation (Energy Consumption Standards for Equipments and Appliances) Regulations, 2017 for improving energy conservation in the state.

Addressing media persons after the cabinet meeting, chief minister Mukul Sangma said that the proposal for adopting a regulation in this regard is in line with the Energy Conservation Act, enacted in 2001.

“It is also in sync with the government’s commitment in the global community. Therefore we as a state also decided to have this regulation which will accordingly be notified and have prospective operation,” he said.

Under the new regulation, the chief minister said that electrical appliances and equipments have to conform to the relevant standard as approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

He informed it was also proposed that manufacture and sale of only those electrical equipments and appliances which are notified by the central government shall be permitted.

According to him, the step was also taken with a view to reduce the energy consumption and contribute towards energy conservation in the state.

The chief minister informed that all government buildings which will be installing electrical appliances and equipments will henceforth install only those prescribed under this regulation.

“We also take measures to replace all existing appliances to improve the energy conservation and consumption,” he said, adding that this in a way will enable the state to join the global community in addressing the concern of climate change.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the amendment of the Meghalaya Survey Service Rules, 1997 by adding three sub-rules in the existing rules to improve the eligibility criteria of officers’ recruitment in the Directorate of Land Records & Survey in the state.

According to the CM, this is based on the contention that employees under this department required extensive walking in remote areas and also along the Indo-Bangla border for undertaking various surveys.