TERI in Consonance with Ministry of New & Renewable Energy Promises to bring Light in Villages

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Pledging its commitment towards addressing the physical, economic and policy aspects of energy, environment and resources, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) along with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, celebrated Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Divas 2008 in the capital today based on the this years common theme, "Akshay Urja Se Desh Vikas, Gaon Gaon Bijli, Ghar Ghar Prakash".

Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Hon'ble Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Government of India delivered a special address along with Smt Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Chief Minister and Dr RK Pachauri, Director-General of TERI, who joined the dais for a special address to the 2500 school children present with teachers and civil society think tanks at National Bal Bhawan, kotla road.

Shri Muttemwar, Hon'ble Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Government of India in his special address said, "Akshay Urja began in 2004 with the agenda to address the National problem of energy crisis and we believe that the children present here today, are going to play a key role to propagate this programme. India is blessed with solar energy and if harnessed efficiently, we are capable of producing electricity around 5 trillion-kilo watts. I feel that Akshya Urja will help in the development of the nation and thank all the children across India who have participated in various competitions and have supported our campaign."

Delhi Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit said, "Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas encourages the future, our students present here to propagate the message of judicial use of electricity and promoting the increasing use of renewable sources for leading a eco- friendly lifestyle."

Cheering the children, Dr RK Pachauri, Director-General TERI said, "The future of our country and the world is in children's hands. Akshay Urjay defines the future of human race for creating world's future in energy. Due to the abundant solar energy available to us, India has a great potential in utilizing renewable sources and is extremely beneficial as its non-polluting and its generation can be decentralized. We need to come together and take initiatives to create technologies for a greater use of these sources to combat climate change by reducing green house gases."

A weeklong series of activities were organized by TERI in consonance with school children from all over the National Capital Territory based on a common theme, 'Akshay Urja Se Desh Vikas, Gaon Gaon Bijli, Ghar Ghar Prakash. The activities under Inter school competitions ranged from model making, slogan writing and banner painting. On the other hand, skit and Debate competition were organised under the Inter college category. A Signature Campaign on the occasion was also commenced.

More than 2500 students from Public, Private and Government schools of Delhi participated at the event. The function concluded by an Akshay Urja pledge to the students to avoid excessive consumption of energy derived from conventional sources and to follow the path of renewable energy administered by the Guests of Honour.

All the participants received certificates from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India

TERI has already treaded in the path of proliferating renewable through its 'Lighting a Billion Lives Campaign' (LaBL), that has experienced enormous support from the corporate, and stalwarts such as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and government heads like the President of Maldives, Mr. Gayoom. The LaBL project has already been implemented in states of Harayana, Rajasthan, Orissa, etc, benefiting many lives as education and businesses can continue even after sunset.

About TERI

From microbiology to global climate change, from smoke-filled rural kitchens to plush corporate boardrooms, from schoolchildren to heads of state—no sphere of human endeavour is unfamiliar to TERI. Headed by world-renowned economist and Nobel Prize winning climate scientist, Dr R K Pachauri, TERI is best described as an independent, not-for-profit research institute focused on energy, environment, and sustainable development and devoted to efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.

TERI has state-of-the-art laboratories, yet it is more than a research outfit; it has looked into the past and into the future of India's natural resources, yet it is more than a think tank; it has worked with affluent communities and in slums, in very large cities and in remote villages, among factory workers and farmers, yet it is more than an NGO; it publishes journals and books, yet it is more than a publisher; and it deploys its professional expertise to undertake contract research, yet is more than a consulting firm. TERI has established regional centres in Bangalore, Goa, and Guwahati, and a presence in Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. It has also set up affiliate institutes: TERI-NA (The Energy and Resources Institute, North America) Washington DC, USA, and TERI-Europe, London, UK.

rajivc@teri.res.in djkaur@teri.res.in

Source: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) (Business Wire India)

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