Kolkata: State Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said that the state government has already dismantled almost all the old furnaces which were causing huge pollution.
The state Power department has decided to set up super critical power plants, demolishing the old polluting ones. The step has been taken by the department, considering various environmental hazards.
Chattopadhyay was speaking at the Annual Environment and Energy Conclave organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a city hotel on Thursday.
The minister expressed his concern over the environmental hazards posed by the excessive use of various electronic equipment and also stressed on the importance of developing alternative energy to combat the threats.
He also urged the people to be more sensitive while using AC and other cooling machines.
He said that people sometimes use two AC machines in their homes instead of one for more comfort. One must understand what his/her requirement is. Unnecessary use of AC machines has an adverse effect on the environment. People must be more cautious while using AC machines. A rational use of cooling machines will help in the protection of the environment.
"We cannot ignore environmental issues. We have to be prudent enough while using the cooling machines. At the same time, it is the duty of the policy makers and the government to develop alternative sources of energy," the minister said.
Speaking at the programme, Chattopadhyay also said that the Bengal government has achieved significant improvement in the field of alternative energy.
The demand of power has been increased in the state.
A great deal of work has been done for the development of solar energy, however, space crunch has been a problem in the state to set up solar power plants in the state.
According to the minister, around 1.5 MW of solar power had been produced during the tenure of the erstwhile Left Front government. The figure has now gone up to 300 MW.
The Power department has set a target of producing 350 MW solar power by the end of 2019. Apart from solar power, the state government has also stressed on the development of hydro and tidal energy.
The state government is keen on developing pollution-free power and the Power department has been constantly working in this regard. Pollution is a major threat to civilisation, as around 92 percent of the population of the world breathe polluted air.
Speaking at the programme, Deb A Mukherjee, vice-president and chairperson, Energy and Environment Committee, the Bengal Chamber, said that the main objective of the conclave is to create the most relevant forum to discuss and share knowledge
and bring innovations in the realm of technologies for energy transition.