Neglecting Water, Energy & Environment – leads to disaster of mankind: CS

Hyderabad, Sept 26 (INN): Taking into account the annual growth in demand for power at the prevailing rate of 10 per cent every year, the Andhra Pradesh Government is committed to encourage the Energy Efficiency & Energy Conservation measures to realise optimum utilisation of energy apart from putting all out efforts for capacity addition in generation & expansion of Transmission & Distribution (T&D) networks to ensure overall economic development.

In continuation of its efforts as mentioned above, the Govt./Power utilities are putting all out efforts to achieve adequate additional generational capacity, reduction of T&D losses to below 15 per cent on par with National Standards and to realise the energy savings around 15,000 MU (1500 crore units) worth Rs 7500 Crores in a phased manner. Really it is a very happy moment to relish that SECM has completed one year, creating impact on the general public about the significance and need of Energy Efficiency & Conservation for the benefit of state as well as stakeholders.

It is high time every individual in the society immediately realised the importance of Conservation of Water, Energy & Protection of Environment. Neglecting these three basic factors will spell disaster to human beings. Therefore, it is a case of protect or perish. Sharing the above details, on the eve of the 1st Anniversary of SECM, Dr P K Mohanty, Chief Secretary to Govt & Chairperson, SECM, categorically disclosed that Govt. will continue vigorously on awareness programmes on these factors (Water, Energy & Environment) to protect the interests of the future generations which is our primary responsibility.

Directions have been given to all District Collectors to play a proactive role on these issues to realise the ultimate goal of protecting the nature. The State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM) was launched in Andhra Pradesh on 26th September 2012 vide GO Ms No 38, Energy (RES.A2) at a time when the State was passing through a very serious energy crisis.

The major achievements of SECM during this one year period are as follows: District level Committees of Energy Conservation, headed by the respective District Collectors, have been formed vide GO No: 11; Dt: 18.02.2013, Taken steps to introduce lessons on Energy Conservation at school and college levels. Govt AP is in the process of issuing AP Energy Conservation Building Code, likely to be effected from November 1, 2013. CEA & Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), GoI have appreciated the initiatives of SECM & accepted to extend financial as well as technical support to GoAP.

DISCOMs & Agriculture Dept. have been educating the farmers about the significance and advantages of Demand Side Management (DSM) measures. Energy auditing work has been taken up in all the major Government buildings. Necessary orders have already been caused to all the Govt departments to set the ACs at 260C or above during summer and 240C or above during winter. With the help of Media, SECM has brought up a lot of awareness among the public & electricity consumers in particular, about the significance of Energy Conservation Solar power panels are being erected in the open area available in AP Secretariat & all other major Govt buildings.

Department of Industries is in the process of issuing orders for ‘Green Factory Building Code’ for all the future industries and linking incentives & subsidies to EC&EE measures.

Dr. P K Mohanty, Chief Secretary & M Sahoo, Special Chief Secretary to Govt, Energy Dept, thanked all the members, subgroups & officials of SECM for striving hard & aiming to become No.1 in the country in successful implementation of various programmes initiated during this short period and requested to continue the activities in mission mode in future also to achieve the gigantic task. Further, SECM has extended the gratitude to general Public, Employees, NGOs and other stakeholders for supporting this Noble cause.

CS specifically thanked the AP Media for the unprecedented support in spreading the message of Energy Conservation to the nook & corner of the state and taking the movement of Energy Conservation forward to initiate pro-active role for the success of EC mission.