Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has stressed the need for intensified efforts to conserve energy and water to avoid shortfalls in future.
Efforts should also be made to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and enhance green cover as it would go a long way in reducing carbon emissions and ensure maintenance of environmental balance, she said. The Governor was speaking at a meeting convened here on Friday to present Telangana Energy Conservation Awards-2019 in various categories.
Recalling the emphasis laid on energy and water conservation by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government, she said the country took the initiative in forming the International Solar Alliance, an association of 121 countries, for promotion of renewable energy. The Alliance partners had intensified efforts to enhance consumption of solar power, thus reducing dependence on fossil fuels for promotion of quality power and conserving ecology.
Ms. Soundararajan appreciated the efforts of the State government in ensuring that Telangana was ranked second in the country in the use of solar energy and emerged a role model for other States in energy conservation. She described the prestigious Kaleshwaram project as an “engineering wonder” and hoped that it would cater to the needs of a large section of farmers as anticipated.
The construction of the project inevitably involved removal of trees, but the government more than compensated the loss by planting crores of saplings to ensure significant reduction in carbon monoxide. The Governor stressed the need for enhancing green cover as it would help in bringing down use of appliances like air-conditioners, and called for further efforts to create awareness among the people about conservation of water and energy.
Energy Minister G. Jagdishwar Reddy said Telangana was the only State in the country to provide power round the clock to farmers free of cost. From the days when industry and agriculture faced shutdowns, the State had come a long way in ensuring that quality power was provided to all sections.
TS Transco and Genco chairman and managing director D. Prabhakar Rao said per capita consumption of power had enhanced significantly after the State put in place effective transmission and distribution mechanism. “Conservation of energy is equivalent to generating power,” he said.
The Governor later gave away awards to organisations in various categories for their efforts in conserving energy.
