In a significant development, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney has directed all departments to include energy conservation and efficiency measures in the government’s flagship ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme to take energy efficiency mission to the village level.
At the executive committee meeting of Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission on Thursday, its chairman and Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney said the government decided to aggressively promote efficient use of energy and its conservation, which was the least-cost option to achieve energy security and meet the growing demand.
She instructed energy secretary N. Srikant to organise frequent meetings with departments such as housing, education, medical and health, women and child welfare, roads and buildings, industries and municipal administration which have construction activities on a sizeable scale.
Ms. Sawhney also suggested that engineers be sensitised about the concept of energy efficient green buildings to facilitate the implementation of the Energy Conservation Building Code. “The government is expecting to reap substantial rewards from the efficient use of energy which will benefit the end-user in the form of reduced electricity bills," she observed.
Roadmap
She instructed the officials to prepare a detailed roadmap for ECBC measures in the construction of government buildings. AP building rules have already been amended in tune with the ECBC norms, Ms. Sawhney added.
Mr. Srikant said he would take necesary steps for scaling up the energy conversation and energy efficiency activities.