In response to Public Eye of July 14 on the energy crisis and the initiatives being taken to tap alterative sources, K.R. Kamath of Kadri says, “All apartments, commercial establishments and individual houses in Mangalore have built-in generators or inverters. Such a situation can be avoided if the State can supply adequate power. The existing hydro-electric and thermal power plants are grossly insufficient to meet the growing demand. Huge tracts of vacant land along the coastline seem to indicate that wind power can be an alternative source. But the possibility of the salinity and moisture in the coastal winds affecting the life of wind turbines has to be considered seriously. Biogas too can be a decent alternative.”
Varsha S. Shenoy, also of Kadri, says, “Mangalore generates tonnes of biodegradable waste every day. Hence biogas units can be set up with public-private partnership, and regular daily supply of bio-waste could be ensured.
These projects can not only provide cheap power but also be a profitable venture through sale of the organic manure generated from the residue.The only problem with such plants is the objection from residents in the area. ”
Sunil P. Shenoy, Consulting Urologist, writes, “A lot of power is wasted in the State. Several streetlights are left on for the entire day without anyone accountable for the lapse. While alternate sources of power need to be explored, existing resources should be conserved too. ”
