TERI reaches out to Pakistan with message of hope and peace

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In a landmark announcement, the New Delhi-based global development think tank, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has revealed its plans to initiate a major campaign in Pakistan aimed at reducing the country’s energy woes. Following its successful interventions in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar, TERI is all set to light up lives in the invisible interiors of rural Pakistan, in an effort aimed at generating consensus in Pakistan towards a cross-border clean energy movement while cementing the country’s bilateral civil, political and cultural relations with India. Backed by LEAD Pakistan, the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) Pakistan and the Buksh Foundation, TERI will be organising a series of events to mark the launch of the “Lighting a Million Lives” campaign in Pakistan on October 12-13, 2012 Special events of the campaign include a high-level Conference on Energy Access in Islamabad; a small function in Village Gah—birthplace of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; and a concert featuring Indian band Euphoria and Dr. Salman Ahmad of “Junoon” fame. Announcing the venture at a packed news conference in New Delhi, TERI’s Director General, Dr. R.K. Pachauri, asserted, “India and Pakistan face common problems such as the lack of energy access for a large part of the population, particularly in rural areas. TERI has been at the forefront of solutions in this field. We are now extending our partnership to Pakistan, particularly with our programme of Lighting a Billion Lives. Such initiatives can go a long way in boosting the peace process between the two countries.” Since its inception, TERI’s widely acclaimed “Lighting a Billion Lives” campaign has garnered strong support across India, and has been instrumental in illuminating 382,750 rural households across India. The campaign is inspired by TERI’s commitment to global sustainable development and creation of innovative solutions for a better tomorrow. Through the campaign, the Institute intends to facilitate the access and use of solar lighting devices among Pakistan’s rural communities. Clean and affordable energy is elementary to ensure inclusive socio-economic development and environmental conservation. According to a TERI estimate, nearly 2.2 billion litres of kerosene are used each year for lighting purposes, while about 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 are emitted to the atmosphere by burning of kerosene. On the other hand, each solar lantern in its 10-year life replaces about 500-600 litres of kerosene, mitigating about 1.5 tonnes of CO2. Since its inception, the Institute has been making a concerted effort towards addressing these critical issues as well as bringing about innovations to facilitate interventions enable energy access for all. In this context, TERI—in collaboration with LEAD Pakistan and the AEDB--will be hosting a half-day high-level multi-stakeholder Conference on Energy Access in Islamabad on October 12. Featuring Pakistan’s leading policymakers, experts and business leaders, the Conference shall enable opinion leaders from India and Pakistan to formulate a coordinated strategy to strike the energy-poverty nexus at its roots. “At present, Pakistan is facing a serious power problem. A large section of population in Pakistan’s rural areas is deprived of energy supply,” said Dr. Pachauri, while expressing concern at the growing power crisis in Pakistan. “We believe that it is in the best interest of both countries to be able to work together and cooperate in the spirit of good neighborliness,” he added.    Post the Conference, the Institute shall also inaugurate a wide range of renewable technologies and facilities established by its researchers in the Pakistani Village of Gah—birthplace of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh--on October 13. TERI has adopted Village Gah under the aegis of its ‘Lighting a Million Lives’ initiative, which aims at integrating new and sustainable technologies for elimination of poverty by introducing Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs)     “We are essentially providing technical support to boost energy security in Gah. We have connected several houses through smart grids and have set up 51 Solar Based Domestic Lighting Systems in the village since 2006. TERI has also installed 16 solar street lights and two additional solar water heater systems in Gah. However, for all the cost incurred in this project, we have received a tremendous amount of goodwill and warmth for our efforts,” Director of TERI’s social transformation wing, Ibrahim H. Rehman said at the news conference. Marking the culmination of these events amid fanfare, a benefit concert will also be held in Pakistan’s culture hub, Lahore, on October 13.  The concert will feature Dr. Salman Ahmad of the “Junoon” fame, and the widely popular Indian rock band “Euphoria” led by Dr. Palash Sen. Bollywood actor Rahul Bose--who has travelled across Indian villages to muster support and spread awareness for the LaBL--will also be attending the event as a special Ambassador of the LaML campaign. In myriad ways, the initiatives symbolise a radical change in the lives of the rural poor across Pakistan and India. They also mark a major milestone in the journey of a people from darkness to light. Through these apolitical events, TERI and its Pakistan partners not only hope to raise funds for the LaML campaign, but also raise awareness on the issue of sustainable development and bilateral unity. For more information on TERI’s work, please visit: www.teriin.org About the author Samarth Pathak is a Research Associate with TERI's sustainable development outreach division, and has previously been associated with some of India's leading news organisations as a correspondent.