President favours alternative fuel

President favours alternative fuel

MUMBAI, June 27 (PTI): Rise of crude oil prices to new highs of USD 140 per barrel has brought to the fore the debate of finding alternative sources of energy, President Pratibha Patil said. “Oil prices have touched USD 140 per barrel from levels between USD 12 to 23 in 1998-99. The high oil prices have an impact on the global economy, on oil importing countries and on individuals,” Patil said while inaugurating a conference here. The President said that the use of bio-fuels like ethanol as an alternative would require analysis. “Converting world grain into ethanol will reduce food quantity available in a scenario where global population is increasing,” Patil said. “We need energy mixes that are sustainable. Renewable sources of energy-wind, solar, tidal, geo-thermal, hydro and nuclear are sources of cleaner energy,” she said. The fear of food insecurity was also now a global worry with recent estimates stating that the recent price hike in foodgrains had pushed about 100 million additional people close to malnutrition, Patil said. “For stable food security there is now a need for a new round of Green Revolution all over,” she said. “The agricultural research system of the world should be re-vitalised and efforts should be stepped up for developing scientific solutions for increasing agricultural productivity, including rainfed agriculture, particularly in drought prone areas and also improving food grain storage facilities,” Patil said. The President also said it was necessary to develop water-saving and cost-effective technologies for desalination of sea water. The World Domestic Product had reached a level of more than USD 48 trillion in 2006 but it had not meant an equitable distribution of wealth, Patil said. “Two per cent of the world’s richest people own more than 50 per cent of the world’s wealth while the poorest 50 per cent of people own one per cent. The situation is unsustainable,” she said. Source: assam tribune