Siram advocates energy studies in school curriculum

National Energy Conservation Day observed

ITANAGAR, Dec 14: The Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (APEDA) today observed the National Energy Conservation Day with its scheduled Energy Quiz competition, which was participated by representatives from 28 schools from across the State. However, only 12 students - two each from VKV Chimpu, VKV Banderdewa, KV1 Naharlagun, KV II Itanagar, Green Mount and King Cup Public School - shared the stage with quizmaster Andrew Scott of Dereck O’Brien fame from Kolkata in the final round of the competition. At the end of the competition, Imar Ete and Rohit Thapa of KV I emerged as winners followed by Arvinda Balakrishna and Nani Damong of VKV Chimpu and Dorothy Barman and Jumtar Tali of King Cup school. While the winner walked away with cash award of Rs 10,000, the first and second runners-up pocketed Rs 5,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively. Attending the programme as chief guest, Education Minister Bosiram Siram emphasized on including topics like saving energy and proper use of resources in the syllabus of school curriculum as students could be the best mediator for spreading awareness on these important issues. “Arunachal Pradesh is a State full of recourses but due to lack of awareness, these are no being properly used,” he said.

APEDA chairman and MLA Likha Saaya, said that people in developed countries use bicycles as much as possible, which is totally non-polluting mode of transportation. He, however, lamented that people here have a high ego problem and are ashamed of driving bicycles. He stressed that if people could imitate their (Westerners) way of dressing and other things, then they could also borrow the good practices.

APEDA director Marke Loya informed that the day is observed every year and the quiz element was introduced last year to induce awareness on energy saving in students. THE SENTINEL