The NDA Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making laudable efforts to reduce carbon emissions and generate 175 GW of power through renewable sources by 2022, but in the effort indigenous technologies such as FaL-G for fly ash bricks should not be ignored, according to N. Kalidas, Director of the Institute for Solid Waste Research and Ecological Balance, here.

He said here on Monday the PM's commitment to tap solar energy was quite appreciable, "but the enormous potential of fly ash for its contribution to abate carbon emissions, both in cement and bricks, should be realised. To put it in perspective, the reduction in carbon emissions achieved by generating 175 GW of solar power can be achieved by setting up just 220 fly ash FaL-G brick units."

Kalidas said at present "there are 18,000 fly ash brick units in the country, nearly half of them in AP and Telangana, and the number can easily be taken up to one lakh with Government support. Therefore, proliferation of fly ash brick units should be encouraged."

He urged the Government to extend tax exemption to carbon credit revenue, since it is a deemed export revenue. FaL-G brick plants should be set up in mission mode with Government incentives. Fly ash should be provided free to these units by the thermal power plants.

He said the smooth transition of the clay brick industry to fly ash brick production should be achieved and his institute would provide the necessary technical support. Referring to COP 21 (the conference on climate change in Paris), he said per-capita emission was not the right criterion, and the land area of a country should be taken into consideration.

He said it was unfortunate that both the G-77 countries and China as well as the western countries were approaching the conference with pre-set agendas and not on a scientific basis with a spirit of making sacrifices.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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