7. NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
From End Of Poverty
Energy is clearly an area of priority concern and its consumption is linked with economic progress and environmental resources. The annual per capita energy used in Andhra Pradesh is at least 400 kg. coal equivalent. This emphasises the necessity of conservation of energy resources in rural areas. The high dependence of the villagers on traditional fuels coupled with increased need of land area of agriculture to feed the masses, had led to the decimation of village forests resulting in reduction in availability of fuel wood and increase in its prices; is itself a warning to the destruction of forests and scarce availability of this commodity in the future. It is therefore essential to educate the people on different conservation methods of fuel wood to mitigate the environmental crisis in rural areas.
Half a century ago, firewood was so abundant that it would have seemed strange to actually pay for it. People could collect dry sticks almost at their doorsteps. Large shady trees were a normal feature in most of the villages; the spreading of banyan and other large trees being the customary gathering place of the elders. Naturally the growth of trees depends on the fertile conditions of the soil; but the banyan, peepul, tamarind and neem are valuable, shady and long-live trees grow in any area.
With the difficulties being faced, those who have cattle use its dung making patties to use it as alternative to firewood. This practices denying the availability of manure to the soil and making the farmers spending more on buying the equivalent inorganic fertilizers. Here the villagers are educated on alternative sources like using compressed paddy husks stoves and also motivating them to go for having biogas plants installed. Though ASSIST has not done any biogas plant construction; the communities were informed about the NREDP (National Renewable Energy Development programme) and facilitated in getting it built. This is not only produces adequate gas for their cooking need; also the slurry output from the plants is used as good treated manure in the farms.
