The Electricity Department celebrated World Environment Day today at Estrela Hall, Club Tennis De Gaspar Dias, Miramar. Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, Shri Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar was the Chief Guest. Chief Electrical Engineer Shri Stephen Fernandes, Superintendent Engineer, Shri Rajeev Samat, Shri Mayur Hede, and Shri Shailesh Burye were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dhavlikar felt that we as citizens are responsible to protect and save the environment. We need to make a beginning to address the issue on a daily basis to reduce it. Sal River is the most polluted river in the state of Goa, and we must all work together to keep this river clean, he added.
Shri Dhavalikar said the government is working to find a solution to use electricity or gas to power the machines used in the electricity department and other infrastructure development projects instead of diesel as it causes the most pollution. If we want to be sustainable in the future, we must start with the basics. The annual amount of power usage in Goa demonstrates that it has seen an increase every passing year. This suggests we should be quite concerned. Pollution caused on purpose by large vehicles and ships at sea is finally being felt by ordinary people, he said.
He pointed that whenever the government attempts to adopt a more proactive approach by building social welfare projects such as sewage treatment facilities etc, some individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attempt to erect unwanted roadblocks without fully comprehending the genuine condition of projects.
Citing the efforts he made to address the sewerage issue in his own constituency Durbhat as the dwellings are within close proximity, he informed that maximum number of toilets and bathrooms were made available to the household and the required capacity sewerage plant was built. This was done by taking the locals into confidence. This was a significant accomplishment and transformation in people’s lifestyles, he remarked.
Speaking on air pollution, he said, bitumen used in road construction is a major cause of pollution. In India, we needed 10 million tonnes of bitumen on an average every year. This bitumen emits pollutants into the atmosphere. To combat this form of pollution, Indian government has attempted to make bitumen from rice. Government of India is making all efforts to take considerable steps to control this form of air pollution in all sectors.
Earlier in the event, the staff of the power department showed the play and sent a message to the audience about how we contaminated our environment and how we may preserve it now before it deteriorates.
The prizes for the various competitions held such as poster competition, quiz competition were distributed on the occasion at the hands of the Chief Guest apart from distributing saplings on the occasion.
