Date:19/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/2008081960910300.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Stress on energy conservation

Staff Reporter

SPREADING A MESSAGE: Electricity Minister A.K. Balan shares a light moment with ventriloquist Vinod Naranat at the inauguration of Energy Conservation Awareness Programme in Schools.

Thiruvananthapuram: Electricity Minister A.K. Balan said here on Monday that energy conservation had become more significant than energy production in the present scenario of climate change and deficit rainfall in the State.

Inaugurating the State-level Energy Conservation Awareness Campaign in Schools, initiated by the Energy Management Centre, Mr. Balan said the State would have plunged into load-shedding much before had it not been for the aggressive electricity conservation campaigns initiated by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

“With the gap between energy consumption and demand widening, conservation of energy has become an issue of prime importance,” Mr. Balan said at the inaugural function held at Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School. The Energy Conservation Awareness Campaign in schools, which is to be started in 100 schools initially, uses the art of ventriloquism to spread the message of energy conservation among students. Ventriloquist Vinod Naranat gave a demonstration of energy conservation class along with his ‘talking monkey’ Kitty.