By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Meghalaya, with its abundant natural resources, has the potential to become a power sufficient state, said Director European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) India, Paul V Jensen.
Jensen was speaking on the sidelines of the EBTC Cleantech Expert Mission to North-East India 2013 organized here on Tuesday.
Addressing the inaugural session, Jensen said that they are keen to learn what people in North East India really need in the field of renewable energy and clean technology. While asserting that the EBTC is also keen to provide the correct assessment of the situation, he said that there is a need to ensure that the Indian demand for technology is met with appropriate and customized solutions if the country needs to maintain its growth trajectory.
Reacting to a query about the alternatives from which energy can be generated Jensen said that the State can work on biomass energy apart from solar energy as agriculture is a major sector here and this can be used for energy generation.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board Chairman M Allya said that clean coal technology in thermal power plants and coal industries besides clean technology for coal mining in Meghalaya is the need of the hour.
According to Allya, Meghalaya with abundant resources has tremendous potential for industrial growth in terms of mineral based industries like coal based thermal industries, hydel power plants etc. but a proper plan needs to be chalked out in order to keep a balance between industrial growth and protection of the environment through the adoption of clean technology initiative.
During the programme, a European Union (EU) delegation also interacted with companies and government agencies from the State.
Senior government officials from water resourses, public health engineering, power and energy department were also present on the occasion. A number of independent consultants, directors of companies and members of Indian Chamber of Commerce were also present.
