16 lakh families to be provided CFL bulbs in Himachal

All the 16 lac families in Himachal Pradesh would be provided four CFL bulbs each free of cost in order to reduce the domestic consumption of electricity. An amount of Rs. 80 crore would be spent on this scheme under 'Atal Bijali Bachat Yojna'. This is a major policy decision of the State Government to save the electricity.

This was stated by Shri J.P. Nadda, Forest, Environment, Science and Technology Minister while addressing the Secretaries and Heads of the Departments at a meeting of Environmental Audit of government offices and buildings here today.

Shri Nadda said that State Government has already initiated remedial measures to exercise check over the degradable and bio degradable waste. The use of polythene carry bags was banned in 1999 and its implementation has been done in a most stringent manner. Apart from this, 15 percent discharge of downstream water in the 'run off river', power projects has been made mandatory in order to protect the biodiversity, flora and fauna in and around the river beds.

Expressing concern over the global warming, Forest Minister said that carbon oxide and methane gases were responsible for increasing the green house effects in the atmosphere thus leading to the global warming. Hence it was imperative to exercise control and minimize the release of these gases in the atmosphere. The solution to this problem lies in the massive afforestation drive to enhance the green cover and reduce the effect of gases.

Underscoring the need for making the government and semi government offices paper free, Shri Nadda quoted the example of Gujarat where most of the offices have switched over to computer technology where all the data was being stored in the software only and they have done away with the maintenance of hard copies. He urged all the departments to gradually minimize the traditional use of paper in the day to day working of the offices.

Referring to forest fires, Shri Nadda said that without the peoples' participation, it was not possible to control the fire in the forests. In many cases the

people living near the forests have deployed the habit of burning the dry grass and bushes with the perception that the new grass could only be grown by doing so. But they failed to realize that by bruning the grass they were infact destroying the precious wild life of the area also .

Emphsising the need to percolate the data, survey reports and observations to the grass root level with regard to the protection the environment, Forest Minister said that people should be sensitized and made aware about the conservation of natural resources. He said that it has been observed that our mindset had an impact on our lifestyle and generally we remain immune and insensitive to our ambience. It was a high time that we should have self appraisal and self introspection about various environmental issues. He also emphasized the importance of water harvesting and said that under the Town Country Planning Act, a provision to ensure water harvesting designs and technology has been made mandatory in Himachal Pradesh.

Welcoming the Minister, Ms. Harinder Hira, Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment said that green house effects were responsible for the drastic climatic changes. She said that State Government has initiated many remedial measures to reduce the consumption of electricity water, paper, fuel etc. in the government departments and also to make these neat and clean.

Among others who held interactions in the meeting were Shri Abhey Shukla, Ms. Parminder Mathur, Additional Chief Secretaries, Shri Balram Sharma, Secretary, PWD, Shri Daljeet Dogra, Secretary, GAD, Shri Pankaj Khullar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.

Shri Nagin Nanda, Director Environment and Science Technology proposed vote of thanks.