Leh, July 5: A 3-day International Conference on “Geothermal and other Energy Resources of Ladakh; Technological and Business viability” was inaugurated by Vice-President Hamid Ansari here on Monday.
 The conference is being jointly organized by the Institute of Energy Research and Training and the Business School, University of Jammu in collaboration with MPRG University College London (UK). A galaxy of scholars, scientists and academicians from India and abroad are attending the conference.
 The Vice-President while addressing scientists, academicians and scholars supported the view that technology and human ingenuity would lead the nation to newer sources of energy as also to better utilization of existing sources and qualities.
 He said, “It is a recorded fact of history that all civilizations depended for survival and prosperity on their ability to access energy in sufficient quantities in the form of food and fuel. The advancement of the past two centuries highlights this truism.”
 Ansari said the Puga valley geo-thermal field in Jammu and Kashmir has been estimated to have a temperature of 240 degree centigrade at a depth of 2000 meters. This makes evident its potential and said he is confident that this conference would debate ways and means of involving all stakeholders to make this the first viable and operational geo-thermal power plant.
 He hoped the regulatory and policy environment governing renewable energy in general and geo-thermal energy in particular would evolve ‘to enable us to realize the existing potential in Ladakh and deploy it for the public good.’
 The Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for CA&PD, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC Leh, Chering Dorje, Vice Chancellor Jammu University, Prof. Varun Sahni, Director Business School, Prof. Neelu Rohmetra, and Prof. G. M. Bhat, Department of Geology, University of Jammu, attended the Conference.
 The Minister for CAPD, Qamar Ali Akhoon in his address while welcoming the Vice President of India said that the recommendations of this conference would go a long way in promotion and development of non-conventional energy in Ladakh.
 Referring to present power scenario of Leh district, Nawang Rigzin Jora said that the whole district Leh has been electrified either from the hydel project or from diesel project and other non-conventional energies. He said that Leh district is moving forward speedily towards development with people’s participation in every developmental process.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST