The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Need to conserve energy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Others

Need to conserve energy

By Our Staff Reporter

KARUR, JUNE 18. There is a need for a better understanding of the costs of energy and methods of reducing energy consumption on the part of small and medium processing units such as dyeing and bleaching units, according to the energy specialist, Jan B. Fortuin.

Addressing a dissemination meet on `energy audit in dyeing and weaving factories in Karur home textiles cluster' here recently, he said that energy awareness was inadequate in small and medium enterprises and energy concerns should be addressed on a priority basis. `Too much energy is being wasted,' he said.

Stressing that methods of reducing energy consumption should be popularised, Mr. Fortuin said that extensive use of firewood as fuel and the resultant depletion of forest cover should serve as a stark reminder of the need for energy efficient techniques.

In processing units, energy could be saved by utilising properly the outgoing effluent for pre-heating water that was being let into the plant.

A plant with an improved energy plan should be set up here as a model for others. At the unit level, energy committees could be set up to monitor consumption.

Mr. Fortuin was here to visit dyeing and bleaching units in and around Karur and assess energy consumption under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Textiles Committee and the Netherlands Management Cooperation Programme (NMCP). Headquartered in The Hague, the NMCP is a consortium of experts in various fields that lends its expertise to small and medium enterprises in developing countries.

The NMCP, funded by the Netherlands Ministry for International Cooperation and the Association of Dutch Enterprises, utilises the services of retired experts.

Speaking at the programme, the Deputy Director of the Textiles Committee, V. Velmurugan, said that the committee had become a regulator instead of a facilitator.

It would continue to assist units that required any technical help.

The president of the Karur Textile Manufacturer Exporters' Association, P. Raju, the secretary, M. Sivakannan, the president of the Karur District Dyeing and Bleaching Factory Owners' Association, P. Subramanian, the president of the Dyes and Chemicals Dealers' Association, R. Palanisamy, the NMCP representative, S. Krishnasamy, and the Cluster Development Agent, P. Subbaiah, spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Combine quality with design, weavers told

Need to conserve energy

Five agro-based units to be set up in Pudukottai

Drought relief works at Rs. 5.65 crores

MCA, MBA admissions

Probe into fire mishap