Nagaland must accelerate shift to renewable energy, cut fossil fuel dependence: Official

Nagaland must accelerate its transition to renewable energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and adopt sustainable lifestyles to tackle climate change and strengthen energy security, Director of New and Renewable Energy James Khala said.

Addressing the Nagaland State-Level Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2026 in Kohima, Khala said climate change had emerged as a serious global challenge, with rising temperatures, flash floods, melting glaciers and changing weather patterns posing increasing threats to people and the environment.

He said dependence on fossil fuels remained a major contributor to global warming and called for greater use of renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower.

Khala also stressed the importance of energy conservation, noting that saving electricity would reduce the need for additional power generation. He urged people to use energy-efficient appliances and electric vehicles, opt for public transport, walk or cycle for short distances, reduce waste and conserve water.

Calling for a change in the development approach, he said progress should not be measured only through roads and infrastructure but also through sustainable agriculture, environmental protection and greater use of locally available renewable energy resources.

Recent geopolitical conflicts and disruptions in global energy supplies, he said, had highlighted the need to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthen energy security through alternative sources.

Khala said energy security needed to be strengthened from the village level to the state, Northeast and national levels. He also urged people to ensure that energy consumption was driven by needs rather than wants.

Additional Director of School Education Deenabandhu Panda said India depended on imports for nearly 80 per cent of its crude oil requirements, making energy conservation and alternative fuel sources important for economic stability.

He highlighted the potential of ethanol and biogas produced from agricultural residues and waste, along with rooftop solar power and electric vehicles, to reduce dependence on imported fuels.

Panda also encouraged consumers to choose energy-efficient electrical appliances, particularly those with higher Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star ratings, saying they could lower electricity consumption and household expenses.

NEEPCO General Manager N. Khogendra Meitei said the national painting competition had been organised since 2005 to promote energy conservation among schoolchildren. More than 80 lakh students from around 1.1 lakh schools participated in the competition last year, he said.

The competition was organised by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), Doyang Power Station, Nagaland, under the aegis of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power.

A total of 1,860 students from 56 schools across Nagaland participated in the preliminary round, of whom 100 were shortlisted for the state-level competition.

Issina Rangkau of Little Star Higher Secondary School and Anamika Ghose of Chitrakala School of Fine Arts won first prizes in Group A (Classes 5 to 7) and Group B (Classes 8 to 10), respectively.

Jasper Varay of EMBER Art Academy and Smiti Debnath of PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya secured second prizes, while Hardik Khemani of Holy Cross Higher Secondary School and Lhuvese Medeo of Government High School won third prizes in the respective categories.

The winners will represent Nagaland at the national-level competition in New Delhi on December 11.