ABSTRACT
INDIA HAS FOR QUITE SOME TIME pursued policies to reduce energy con-sumption, particularly oil consumption, and to deal with its environmental problems in ways that also are “greenhouse gas (GHG) friendly.”These include:
• Energy conservation • Promotion of renewable energy sources • Abatement of air pollution • Afforestation and wasteland development • Economic reforms, subsidy removal and joint ventures in capital goods
Some of these efforts are ongoing for several decades and are institutionalized in a number of ways through policies, programs, and creation of specific institutions. In addition, there are a number of measures taken by people themselves, because of resource minimizing cultural traditions as well as sheer poverty and deprivation. While some of the energy savings are the result of conscious resource utilization practices in a positive sense, the dark side has to do with human drudgery and deprivation.These include:
• Lack of electricity connections in the rural areas and if connected, then a lack of electric appliances and even adequate light bulbs in rural households;
• Lack of piped water or pumps that require long trips by women and children on foot to obtain surface water availability;
• Lack of cooking fuels due to which they depend on biomass rather than clean and convenient fossil fuels;
• Lack of fans and heating devices for a large percentage of households that are necessary for comfort and productivity;
• Lack of basic infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and roads that are essential elements for human development.
