Special Chief Secretary (Energy) K. Vijayanand said that the Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM) is preparing an exclusive action plan to involve all the Energy Conservation (EC) Cells which were created in government departments to achieve the desired goals of energy saving and inculcate a culture of energy conservation in all the departments of State government.
Mr. Vijayanand, along with APTRANSCO Joint Managing Director (Vigilance) B. Malla Reddy, presented State Energy Conservation Awards (SECA)-2022 during the valedictory of the National Energy Conservation Week to government and private organisations that have excelled in the area of energy efficiency in buildings, industries and institutions, in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
Mr. Vijayanand said that the government wants every home, industry and commercial establishment to become energy-efficient. Prevention of energy wastage leads to lower energy bills and other energy-related expenditure and it is important to use star-rated appliances to save energy and money as well, he said.
Energy efficiency was also the most affordable option to meet the growing energy demand and strengthen the power sector as well as helping in sustainable development, he added.
“I appeal to the industry and building sectors to come forward to work with the government to enhance energy efficiency in the State,” he said.
He appreciated APSECM for organising SECA for the third consecutive time in the State under energy efficiency category.
“Setting up of EC cells in all government departments is a milestone which shall be extended to the mandal-level to penetrate energy efficiency to the grassroots,” he said.
APSECM officials explained that the Administrative Staff College of India has supported APSECM in the evaluation process for selecting winners for the State Energy Conservation Awards.
Simhadri National Thermal Power Station in Visakhapatnam, Padugupadu gram panchayat in Nellore, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation in Vaddeswaram, Divisional Railway Hospital in Vijayawada, APSRTC bus station in Chittoor, Asian Paints in Visakhapatnam, and NSL Textiles Limited in Edlapadu have won SECA awards in gold category.
The Electric Traction Training Centre in Vijayawada, Udayanada Hospital Pvt. Ltd in Nandyal, the APSRTC depot in Maddilapalem (Visakhapatnam), Tholukodu gram panchayat, NVH India in Anantapur, NSLTextiles Limited in Inkollu, Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station, APGENCO, in Ibrahimpatnam, have won awards in the silver category.
Awards were also presented to students in a short video competition held for schoolchildren as part of the Energy Conservation Week celebrations.
Mr. Vijayanand appreciated the School Education Department for swiftly establishing over 150 ‘energy clubs’ at model schools with an objective of inculcating an energy-saving habit among children.
