Expert bats for using solar power in cooking

Hundred units of fossil fuel is used to produce one unit of food – consumption of which leads to lifestyle diseases like cancer and diabetes. In contrast, one unit of solar energy can produce 100 units of food which is natural. This is what Vandana Shiva, renowned environmental activist and policy researcher, said here on Monday.

Shiva was one of the speakers at the inaugural day of the 6th Solar Cookers International World Conference which kicked off at Muni Seva Ashram at Goraj on the outskirts of the city.

She added that fossil agriculture, in which artificial fertilizers are used, is highly inefficient. “Urea is the most used fertilizer but over the time it loosens the water holding capacity of the soil. Due to this, the farmer waters his crops more,” said Shiva. She also said that chemical farming is more violent than ecological farming.

“The farmers who commit suicide are into chemical farming while those into organic farming do not take the extreme step,” she added.

Shiva also said that the water train to Latur in Marathwada region in Maharashtra was a photo opportunity. “But a train cannot add moisture back in the soil, it happens through scientific process,” she said. “Import dependency has destroyed India’s food security. But, it can be reversed since the country has richest soil, gets ample amount of solar energy due to large land mass and even the farmers are hard-working,” Shiva said while talking to mediapersons. She said that increasing use of fossil fuels has resulted in migration of farmers to the city. Dr Janak Palta McGilligan, secretary of the conference, said that they will be sending their recommendations to the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy after the conference.

Source:TOI