Electric grid will accelerate climate change in Sundarbans: Experts

SUNDARBANS: (West Bengal): The ongoing extension of the electric grid to the remote islands of Sundarbans will not only adversely affect the viability of existing renewable energy projects, but will also accelerate the process of climate change, experts say.

"In view of the growing threat of climate change and contribution of the electricity sector to the overall green house gas emission, there is need for adopting appropriate strategies to rationalise use of coal and fossil fuel in the electricity sector," according to a latest report by research body CUTS International.

India's fossil fuel-driven energy sector is one of the biggest contributors (more than 50%) to carbon emission, widely considered to be chiefly responsible for climate change worldwide.

In West Bengal, 96% of electricity is generated through use of coal, officials say.

Under the Remote Village Electrification scheme by the Union ministry of new and renewable energy, it is mandated to develop off-grid projects using renewable energy sources for remote villages in India.

However, with the demand for electricity expected to grow 10 to 20 fold between 2010 and 2020, the West Bengal government is extending grid-based electricity to about 1,076 villages in the Sundarbans.

Environmentalists warn that the soil in the wetlands of Sundarbans is soft and setting up of large and heavy transmission poles may increase erosion and even change the tidal patterns when installed in rivers and creeks, surrounding the fragile islands.