MINISTRY
OF POWER TO ASSOCIATE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SPEARHEADING THE ENERGY
CONSERVATION MOVEMENT
As part of Energy
Conservation Campaign, the Minister of Power, Shri Suresh Prabhu,
has taken the first step to enlist the support of leading academicians
from NCERT, CBSE, School Principals and NGO’s in educating youth
on energy conservation issues for bringing about attitudinal change
in Society. At a meeting here, Shri Prabhu invited suggestions
on developing an energy conservation awareness campaign built
around school students – the most powerful agents for lasting
change. Shri Prabhu, also stressed the importance of awareness
building among youth that could transform the existing power situation
in the country. Towards this end, the Ministry had organised more
than 2000 road shows, not only to create awareness, but to elicit
public inputs, to create a more responsive and public minded government.
In the meeting
it was decided to set up a Steering Group comprising representatives
from the Government, Public and Central Schools and officers from
NCERT, CBSE and NGOs to develop an action plan for the promotion
of energy conservation in the country. It was also agreed that
emphasis should be more on practical aspects of energy saving,
training young minds, promoting practice-oriented programmes on
energy conservation with a view to motivating the public to adopt
energy efficiency as a way of life. The Ministry of Power also
agreed to extend financial support to the schools in promoting
projects on energy conservation, conducting painting and essay
competitions and to institute awards and prizes to promote the
concept of energy conservation amongst children. Special prizes
for women who make exceptional contribution to energy conservation
in society would also be given. Such initiatives will be taken
in other States as well. Necessary funding for this will be provided
from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency which was recently set-up.
The Minister of
Power emphasized that both students and teachers can play a useful
role in pin pointing energy wastages and have a positive role
in promoting energy conservation. He pointed out that energy saved
is energy generated. The other major step the Government has initiated
is energy audit for the major energy-intensive government buildings.
20-30% of power can be saved through efficient use of energy and
thus, energy conservation offers another means of capacity addition
to bridge the gap between supply and demand. Shri Prabhu suggested
that energy efficiency should be included in the school curriculum
to bring about the right attitude among students towards energy
conservation.
The Minister
of State for Power, Smt.Jayawanti Mehta, earlier in her address
said "India has made significant achievement in the power
sector since independence but the country still needs another
1,00,000 MW to make electricity available to all by 2012. Every
citizen needs this basic amenity and we are committed to provide
it. Along with our capacity augmentation programmes, we need to
give equal emphasis on efficient use of energy in our daily life
as well as in all sectors of the economy." She further pointed
out that school children have the potential of influencing a change
in the behaviors of their elders.
Earlier
while welcoming the educationalists, the Secretary (Power), Shri
R.V.Shahi pointed out the role of the teaching community in shouldering
the responsibility to carry the message of energy conservation
amongst students and through them to the general public.
