Gujarat Chief Minister opens completely solar-powered GPCB Building

Gujarat’s first completely solar powered Paryavaran Bhawan inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi 

Pollution free society rather than pollution control is a better option: Shri Modi 

Gujarat has shown the light to the nation in field of Green Technology: Shri Modi

All 40 air conditioners, as many as 600 fans and 1,000 CFL tube lights in this building run on solar energy through 2,000 sq. meter solar panel set up on the top of the building that generate 80 KW energy. This means the building uses 100 per cent solar energy, generated through sunlight. Moreover the building supplies excess power to Torrent Power grid at a rate of around Rs 10 per unit. The building has two recharge wells that would recharge about 750 cubic meters rainwater.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Modi gave credit to the farsightedness of the GPCB that made them think ahead. Shri Modi added that on environment issues there is no dearth of ideas as there are enough of them. What is needed is application. He said that Gujarat showed the light to the nation in developing newer ways of Green Technology.

Shri Modi opined that when it comes to the environment, we have to be careful from the very beginning. He said that for our happiness, we have no right to snatch the happiness of others.

Shri Modi affirmed that a ‘pollution free’ society is a better option than mere ‘pollution control’. It is better to prevent industries from polluting than searching for solutions later on to combat pollution. He believed that when the Gujarat Pollution Control Board was established in 1974, the situation would have been very bad that they needed to use ‘control’ in the name but now times had changed and the world ‘control’ needed to be replaced with the word ‘elimination.’

On the occasion, he stated that our problems could be attributed to blindly emulating the ‘throw away culture’ of the West adding that recycling was always a part of the Indian culture, which teaches us ‘best from the waste.’

Shri Modi also called for making ‘solid waste management’ and ‘waste water treatment’ projects success models. Gujarat itself has undertaken ‘clean city’ projects across 50 cities. The new century, he said was heading towards a three pronged development model of IT (Information Technology), BT (Biotechnology) and ET (Environmental Technology). Shri Modi also launched the GPCB online services and released books on pollution control.

Forest and Environment Minister Shri Mangubhai Patel said that Paryavaran Bhavan would not only save electricity but also planned to conserve water too. Others present included Minister of State Shri Kirtisinhji Rana, MLA Shri Shambhuji Thakor and Gandhinagar Mayor Shri Mahendrasinh Rana.