A one-day conference on “Sustainable Consumption of Energy” has been organized by the Power Foundation of India and Vigyan Bharati as part of the “Agni Tattva” campaign under the Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Mission at IIT Guwahati on the 14th November 2022. This is the third conference, in a series with the previous ones being held at Leh and Bhopal.
The conference was inaugurated by the Governor of Assam Prof. Jagdish Mukhi who was the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries included Shri Sanjiv N Sahai, Director-General, of Power Foundation of India (PFI) and former Secretary of Ministry of Power; Ajay Tewari, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power; Professor Dr. T G Sitharam, Director-General of IIT, Guwahati; and Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director- General, National Power Training Institute.
The conference was attended by Senior Government Officials, Energy Experts, Researchers, NGOs, College students, and school children. The conference highlighted how reduced and efficient energy consumption can result in sustainable development.
The relevance of holding the conference at Guwahati,
Addressing the gathering, the Governor, Prof Mukhi spoke of the relevance of holding the conference at Guwahati, where communities from diverse ethnicity and culture socially coexist in harmony with nature through sustainable practices. He underscored that the conservation of nature, culture, and heritage is the responsibility of every citizen, and reducing the use of energy as well as adopting alternative sources of energy is the need of the hour.
The regional eco-system should be preserved by adopting a simple and environment-friendly way of life and harnessing our traditional wisdom. He urged that this message should be driven to the masses in the remotest parts of India and suggested that an actionable plan be worked out to reduce energy consumption.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Mr. Sahai expressed the urgency to move away from greed towards green. Highlighting the link between public policy and personal behavior, he emphasized a review of public policy which will nudge sustainable personal behavior. He highlighted that while the public policy on conservation should be based on efficiency, the practices of conservation should be a blend of modern and traditional techniques.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Tewari expressed concern that the availability of energy has bestowed unimaginable comforts in our lives, but indiscriminate use and mindless consumption of energy is a major cause for a rapidly emerging existential crisis. By taking one action at a time and making one change daily, we can change our lifestyle to inculcate long-term environment-friendly habits.
Dr. Thakur reinforced the need to fall back on our traditional principles and practices to bring back the focus on nature and health. She informed me that the series of conferences on the Agni Tattva is focused on bringing out the ways in which energy is linked to life, which include energy linkages with sustainability, culture, security, spirituality, health, environment, and habitat. “The aim is to bring a holistic transformation based on our ancient wisdom for a better future.”
Professor Dr. Sitharam expressed deep gratitude for recognizing IIT Guwahati as the venue for the conference, where extensive research is underway in the fields of energy conservation, green energy, and rural applications of technology for sustainable development. Held on Children’s Day, and with children as its main audience, the conference held a special significance as children can be the torchbearers of change for a better tomorrow.
The daylong conference also included talks and a panel discussion on energy efficiency and conservation by eminent experts from the fields of policy-making, environmental regulation, research, and academia.
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| Power Foundation of India and Vigyan Bharati organize a conference |
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