Date:19/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/19/stories/2008071954170600.htm

Karnataka

‘Give importance to alternative energy’

Staff Correspondent

Udupi: Vice-Chancellor of Kuvempu University B.S. Sherigar said on Friday that the country should give importance to alternative forms of energy.

He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day UGC sponsored workshop on “Chemistry and environment” at Milagres College, here.

Dr. Sherigar said that some of the mega industries, including coal-fired thermal power plants, were creating lot of pollution.

While development was essential, its consequences on environment should not be neglected.

Nearly 70 per cent of electricity in France came from nuclear energy, while in India nuclear energy met only 4 per cent of electricity needs.

There was scope for increasing nuclear energy to a certain extent in the country.

The potential for alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar energy could also be exploited to meet energy needs, he said.

Solar power

The efficiency of solar energy should be increased through constant research and development, Dr. Sherigar said. Principal of the College Fred Mascarenhas presided over the function.