SIDHAULI, SITAPUR : Stressing the need for alternative energy in the country, Union Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah today said political parties are more interested in creating dispute over religion for their vested vote politics rather than mooting the agenda of development.
“Lord Ram is the God of all people and the world whether it is Hindu or Muslims. But some political parties are trying to create a dispute over the religion and shedding the issue of development,” he said, inaugurating a Biomass Energy based village electrification and cold storage project here at Bilaria village.
Without taking any names, the National Conference founder said, “We should think of Hindustan first, then our mere politics.”
Addressing a gathering, Dr Abdullah said the present government has done a lot for development and the main work will be to provide all the villages with electricity.
“Providing electricity will automatically stop the rural exdus towards the cities as industries would start coming up in the villages,” he said, while adding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too has expressed concern over the need of electricity in the remotest part of the country.
He said still India is lagging behind in electricity and still 40 per cent of the population were yet to see an electric bulb in their houses.
“The change in the environment is also causing danger to our mountains which is melting. If we don’t do something then there would be water scarcity and rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Jhelam and Sind would be waterless,” he claimed.
Stressing the need for promotion of solar power in the country, Dr Abdullah said two years ago solar power was costing around Rs 18 a unit but now it has become cheap and can be availed at Rs 6 to 7 per unit.
Appreciating the biomass based power unit, the Union minister announced that such units would be set up in other parts of Uttar Pradesh and appealed to the people to participate actively in running these units effeciently.
Environmental scientist R K Pauchari, whose TERI organistion is associated with the project, claimed that such projects would give independence to the village.
“With such projects, life of the women and children in the villages would change as they will get electricity for education and for other purpose,” he claimed.
The 50 KW advanced biomass gasifier power generation system has been installed with the financial aid from AusAID in partnership with CSIRO. It provides electricity to 140 houselolds in two villagtes of Bakipur and Raispur in Bilarai of Kasmanda block of Sitapur district.
The power unit also helps run a cold storge of 15 metric tonne capacity and the consumers pay their bills through prepaid meters. The entire unit is operated by village community. (AGENCIES)
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