Cement, Energy and Environment July-Sep 2002

Another development of interest is the implementation of the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 200 /. The relevant gazette notification had already been reported in our earlier issues. The notification includes a list of 15 industries including cement as "D~!signated consumers". Following the Act's provisions, a designated consumer of power has to abide by several clauses like: Compulsory energy audit, Deployment of energy experts and energy executives in management, Providing data on energy cons uming equipment and apparatus regardi ng their manufacture. design. energy consumption , etc. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), created fo r monitoring energy consumption, has recentl y issued an advertisement for enrolment of energy auditors.The eligibility criteria hercfor arc quite broad and industry associations too are free to apply. Therefore, it has been decided, for the sake of protecting the interest of our member companies, that CMA, with the active support and help of knowledgeable experts working in the industry, will formulate a team and bid for Consultancy assignments. Even as the BEE is bracing to acquai nt itself with the energy consumption patterns of variou industries by holding industry-wise workshops in different regions, we should lose no time to assemble a competent team for protecting the interests of our industry. Globally speaking, the recently concluded World Summit on Sustainable Development held in South Africa (26th Aug - 4'h Sept) and attended by more than 50,000 delegates representing over 200 coun tries, was a mega, if much hyped event. But its outcome as reported in our national and other foreign press is anything but encouraging for the developing countries. For instance, the Summit has accepted provision of drinking water and sanitation as ptime items in its agenda but without any provi sion for fund sourcing. Developing countries continue to face multifarious hurdles under the draconian provisions of WTO's regulatory regime, particularly in market access of goods to developed countries. Curiously, th is was not considered in the Summi t. In all , the Summit turned out to be a mixed bag of pious promises but few commitments, leaving most outstanding issues and problems of the developing countries unattended. While global warming no doubt is gradually assuming alarming proportions with its inevitable adverse effect on climate, the GHG reduction commitment by developed countries to compensate the developmental urge of the developing countries remains unanswered. The COP - 8 to be hosted in New Delhi during Oct- Nov 2002 will hopefully address such critical issues for the urvival and the sustainable growth of the developing world. Predictably. we look forward to the conference and its outcome with bated breath. On the environment front, of late, there is a lot of emphasis on using wastes and waste-derived fuels (WDF). Techicalliterature from the developed countries abound with examples of I00% substitution of kiln fuel by WDF like pet coke, petroleum sludge, agricultural wastes, waste tyres, regenerated oi l, pharmaceuticals and pesticides, etc. The guiding principle in promoting the utili sation of such wastes is the basic tenet of waste recycling for envi ronmental protection. ln India unfortunately no such legislation by any concerned authori ty is within any radar of vision. On the contrary, some State Pollution Control Authorities are putting stops on plants raring to use these wastes. Their famili ar refrain is protection of the environment from noxious gas emissions. Thu a mediation would seem necessary between the two stands, which should be achievable by facilitating the two parties to decide upon what is imperative in the larger national. interest. C. M. A. LIBRARY ~.II=" I 'I '-' . L -H CLASS "'0 C : 2_vo ~. :. 2..- .3.... EICO~ r,.. D DATE (A.V. Srinivasan) Secretary General '· ... ... ,