 "Teri to help Pakistan develop renewable energy solutions")
In recent years, Pakistan has been facing severe problems on the energy front, and on this issue there has been an active dialogue with the government of India on the possibility of a power supply arrangement from India’s northern grid to the province of Punjab in Pakistan.
“The time has come for all the stakeholders in India and Pakistan, and, in fact, all South Asia to work towards close and good neighborly relations. It is only then that we would be able to develop solutions to our common problems of poverty, hunger and take the countries of the region towards healthy and sustainable growth,” director general of TERI, R K Pachauri said in an official statement issued today.
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TERI has also been holding a dialogue, both at the official and NGO levels in Pakistan for implementing a range of renewable energy based solutions. It has considerable experience through its ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ campaign in India involving installation of biomass gasifiers in rural areas as well as innovation through the use of mini grids to supply clean lighting and facilitate the operation of clean cooking stoves in rural homes.
Chief minister of Punjab state of Pakistan Mian Shahbaz Sharif has invited the delegation from TERI to hold a dialogue with him and his senior officials as well as others in Lahore, particularly for identifying renewable energy based solutions and facilitating their implementation. The delegation will spend three days in Pakistan working closely with departments and agencies of the Government of Punjab there, the TERI statement said.
In addition, Pachauri will be delivering this year’s 'Quaid-i-Azam Lecture' entitled “Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development in South Asia” organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics on December 21 in Islamabad.