The oil companies as part of their corporate social responsibility should assist the State Government in facilitating automated traffic lights at intersections in Dehradun and Haldwani. The Chief Minister, Harish Rawat, said this while speaking at the inauguration of the oil and gas conservation fortnight-2015 at the Indian Institute of Petroleum here on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, Rawat stressed on the need for making energy conservation a part of lifestyle for which governmental, organisational and personal efforts are needed. “We are trying to improve transportation in the State and for this the oil companies can help us in facilitating automated traffic lights at the intersections in Dehradun and Haldwani. We often ignore the importance of efficient driving for conserving fuel. The IIP should look into ways of helping in the training of drivers as I believe that an efficient driver can conserve about 10 per cent fuel,” he said. The CM further said that environmental conservation and development are complementary.
The public can also be motivated to conserve lPG. He said that though Indians appreciate energy conservation efforts in other nations, they hesitate to undertake the same efforts themselves. Speaking on the occasion, State Forest minister Dinesh Aggarwal stressed on the need for raising public awareness for fuel conservation. He spoke about the various schemes being undertaken by the State Government for conservation of the environment and welfare of the public.
In his address, the IIP director Dr MO Garg appealed the chief minister to encourage the exploitation of solar power in Uttarakhand considering the abundance of this source of renewable energy in the State. Stating that the international prices of crude oil had dropped by about 50 per cent in a period of three months, Garg pointed out that the prices might not remain stable for long and could rise again as seen in the past. “We should be prepared for any eventuality. The State needs to promote use of solar power for which I would request the CM to resume the subsidy provided earlier for solar power,” he said. State level coordinator of oil companies, SK Sinha and HPCl senior regional manager Mayank Bhatnagar also spoke on the occasion.