Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUNE 2
Since its creation as a separate entity in 2009, the department of New & Renewable Energy (NRE) has become a vital department of the Nagaland government, out to ensure sustainable energy; toward joining the world community in the effort to reduce emissions in the greater interest of climate change and its alarming threat.
Although the department started functioning in the state only in 2010, it has made significant achievements be it in innovation and scheming initiatives, and project implementations or human resource development.Likewise, it shares a responsibility in reducing energy consumption, competing with the use of fossil fuels and devastating greenhouse gas emissions, giving solutions with an environment friendly and cost effective energy supply.
Counting on the enormous benefits the use of renewable energy offers, the Parliamentary Secretary for NRE, Toyang Changkong Chang, has underlined the need for the state to have a clear policy on energy security.
“The strength and sustainability of energy is the key to ensuring the long term economic and environment sustainability of our State, our nation and indeed the world community,” Toyang said. He was addressing a host of officers and staff of the NRE department during the felicitation hosted in his honor on Tuesday, June 2, in the directorate.
He acknowledged that Nagaland has ample scope in renewable resources. However, the parliamentary secretary underlined the need for renewable energy to take centre stage to unlock its potential and bridge gaps in energy use, and to the grassroots. He sought working cooperatively with the community.
He made it known that “It is one of the top priorities of the state government to take forward in the context of energy conservation and sustainable use.” He informed that the department will be drafting out plans to disseminate clean energy supply to all parts of the State very soon.
“To actualize these plans and policies, the department should be proactively ready with the energy policies of demand reduction, demand response and distributed energy,” he urged the departmental staff.
Foreseeing that the NRE would see ‘quantum growth’ particularly with the increasing demand for energy security in the country, Toyang said that the need is to pursue and collaborate with other states to build energy security and development.
“Innovation and commitment in tandem with the technological changes should be our key policy. Short term changes are important, but what matters more to our society is what we can expect in the term to have a lasting impact,” he said expressing hope that Nagaland will also become another successful chapter in the national energy security scenario.
NRE departmental activities
It is inevitable that in the coming days the energy demand and supply will be fundamentally different to yesterday. Keeping this in mind, the department of New & Renewable Energy is trying every bit to make Nagaland utilize its resources to the maximum.
Although, the department had undertaken various projects since its creation, some of the major projects are still underway. It was learnt that most of these projects are on the verge of completion, ready to be commissioned for general use. This was announced today by the joint director of NRE, Kavito Chishi during the felicitation.
Chishi informed about the various hydro projects being undertaken in five districts. One among them is Tsutsung hydro project in Mokokchung, which is the biggest among them. The others are Naroi hydro project in Peren, Mayemong hydro project in Choklang village under Tuensang district and Thigara hydro project in Phek. The hydel project at Choklang village was commissioned recently.
Other smaller projects are also underway in Thekrejuma 1 and Thekrejuma 2 in Kohima, Khucho in Zunheboto, Longkong in Mokokchung, and Menyo in Phek and Mezo Basa in Kohima district.
The department has so far provided 4200 solar street Lights to various villages of all the districts. It has also electrified 11 villages through solar home light systems under as a part of the Remote Village Electrification initiative. Solar lanterns have been provided to various individuals as well.
The department has also been successful in providing solar power plants to all the department directorates and the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat. It was learnt that a solar power pack were given to 47 individuals, wherein 57 more will be disbursed. 50% of payment has to be given by individuals under the latter project.
Also, director of the NRE department, TS Angami, mentioned acute shortage in departmental staffers. He urged the parliamentary secretary to apprise the government to creation more posts.
DIPR adds
Angami also informed that the department would be giving out solar devices soon to the public. Addressing media persons in his official chamber on June 2, he said that schemes including solar power packs, which the department has taken up will be very useful for ‘farm houses, where electricity is not available’.
Another scheme which the department has taken up is to offer solar power pumps to beneficiaries; it can be used to pump water during day and use the same device for domestic lighting at night, he informed.
In both the projects 50% of the cost has to be borne by the beneficiary. These projects would greatly benefit the public in the long run and it would be implemented immediately after getting approval from the government, he informed. He also informed that the department has commissioned solar power plants to all the directorates including Secretariat and Assembly and would be embarking on their next projects to cover all the districts.
Angami also informed that very soon the department would commission air water generator where solar energy would be used for converting atmospheric air into water.
The director informed that though ‘many good projects’ were ‘in the offing’. The projects are of the department or are centrally-sponsored schemes where state has to contribute 10% as its share. Inability to pay the state’s share hampers not only the ongoing project but also the projects pursued, he lamented though.
