Energy Minister Tomar pledges not to use ACs, petroleum-powered vehicles for a month

 

 

 

In alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a clean, pollution-free, and green India, Energy Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar has pledged to abstain from using air conditioners and petrol-diesel-powered vehicles for an entire month. Minister, Tomar announced that he will spend his nights for the next month in a tent set up in a park located in front of his residence in Gwalior, using only a fan for comfort. He will rely on an electric bike for transportation within Gwalior, charging it using solar energy. He emphasised that this initiative is a symbolic yet powerful message, even small lifestyle changes can help ensure a safer future for coming generations. As part of this campaign, he appealed to citizens to adopt environmentally friendly habits in their daily lives to help control pollution.

 

Minister Tomar highlighted the severe impact of pollution on all aspects of life, health, environment and society. Air pollution causes respiratory diseases, dust and smoke-related allergies; water pollution leads to illnesses such as diarrhea and cholera. Noise pollution can result in mental stress and insomnia. Pollution also harms the ozone layer and accelerates global warming, causing glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise. It reduces the quality of life, increases disease rates, and creates social imbalances. Lack of clean air, safe water, and a healthy environment contributes to public stress and insecurity.

 

 

A 1.5-ton air conditioner (AC) used for 8 hours daily consumes about 14.4 units of electricity per day. Over a month, that’s more than 432 units and over 402 kilograms of CO2 emissions. By avoiding AC use for a month, this much CO2 can be prevented from entering the atmosphere. Driving a car 150 km daily with an average mileage of 15 km/l results in the consumption of 10 liters of petrol daily, totalling 300 liters monthly and 3600 liters annually. Since burning 1 liter of petrol releases around 2.6 kg of CO2, this leads to 780 kg of CO2 per month and 9360 kg per year. If a citizen rides a bike for 150 km daily with an average of 40 km/l, it would consume 3.75 liters of petrol per day, 112 liters monthly, resulting in over 292 kg of CO? emissions. Contd on page 2