Andhra’s climate resilience sparks national change: CIC

Visakhapatnam: The devastating Hudhud super cyclone that struck Visakhapatnam in October 2014 forced policymakers to adopt innovative, energy-efficient technologies, which ultimately benefited other parts of the country and even attracted global and BRICS attention, said central chief information commissioner (CIC) Heeralal Samariya. He made these remarks during the release of a report on the impact of energy efficiency programmes in addressing climate change. Thanks to joint interventions by the state govt and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), the city of Visakhapatnam transitioned to over one lakh LED streetlights, significantly reducing energy costs and emissions. Similarly, the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited, which bore the brunt of the cyclone’s impact, shifted to underground cabling in the coastal areas of the city. The storm’s destructive force caused widespread public suffering and extensive infrastructural damage. However, the lessons learned from Hudhud were instrumental in significantly enhancing Andhra Pradesh’s storm resilient, energy efficient electricity infrastructure.Speaking at a programme organised by BEE media adviser for southern states and union territories, A Chandra Sekhara Reddy, the CIC called for urgent and sustained action to combat climate change, urging both govts and communities to allocate at least 10 per cent of their budgets towards green funding and energy efficiency initiatives.

He stressed the importance of ‘people’s partnership from galli to Delhi’ in building a resilient and sustainable future. Samariya, who has over four decades of bureaucratic experience, including in the power sector at both the state and national levels, said that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality that has caused severe ecological, economic, and human losses across the world, including India. “India’s major cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and many others—have all witnessed devastating climate-induced losses. The need of the hour is to conduct wide-ranging public awareness campaigns, particularly through videos and social media, to educate citizens about the adverse impacts. Meanwhile, I appreciate the sustained efforts of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in promoting energy-saving programmes through communication strategies involving state designated agencies (SDAs),” said the CIC. Samariya lauded the success of the EESL model under the Union govt’s street lighting national programme (SLNP), noting that it has since been replicated in several states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Telangana. The programme, he said, has resulted in an annual reduction of 6.2 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions and savings of about Rs 6,000 crore to the public exchequer. “For the first time, even my home state of Rajasthan has taken the lead. The Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad and EESL have signed a landmark MoU to jointly empower rural communities through the Urjaveer movement. This collaboration marks a significant step towards sustainable development, women’s empowerment, and clean energy adoption in rural Rajasthan. This programme has already been successful in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.