Kalam pitches for National Energy Commission

Kochi: Former president A P J Abdul Kalam Friday stressed the need for setting up a National Energy Commission to ensure coordinated thrust and fast decision making for implementing overall energy policy.

'It is high time to form the National Energy commission, which will bring all policy makers and planners both at the state and central level, ministries dealing with various forms of energy and Ministry of environment', he said.

This would ensure coordinated thrust and fast decision making for implementing the overall energy policy of the nation, he said in his inaugural address at the two-day Kerala Environment Congress here.

Kalam also stressed the need to develop Kerala as a solar- powered state as it gets ample sunshine. Kerala has a solar roof top potential aof 10,000 MW at the present efficiency level of 16.5 per cent, he said.

The theme of the congress, being organised by the Centre for Environment and Development (CED), is 'Water and Energy Security-- Issues, Challenges and Potentials'.

An 'open forum' in which policy makers and technical experts and scientists will participate will be held tomorrow.

At least 300 delegates mainly from Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are participating.