COAI defends telecom operators on fuel use

NEW DELHI, INDIA: In the wake of growing demand on cellular operators to switch to alternative energy sources to run their base stations, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Tuesday said that the contribution of telecom firms to the overall carbon emission is negligible compared to other sectors.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on Green Telecom, Rajan S Mathews, director-general of COAI, said that the sectors like transport, agriculture, electricity and cement account for 70 per cent of the carbon emission in India.

The seminar advocated switching to green IT for energy security and inclusive growth.

“The reality is different from what we see and believe. I am not defending the telecom industry, but let’s take a balanced approach in this regard,” he said. “It is just a myth that telecom sector is exploiting the subsidized diesel in the country.”

Also read: How green is India's telecom growth?

The COAI is of a view that since the availability of grid power is limited, diesel generators are the best option. To minimize the environmental impact, the operators are using battery power before switching to diesel generators.

Mathews said that the telecom sector is one among the first to start using solar panels and wind energy. “The industry has been at the forefront in encouraging the government to provide grid power for base station installations.”

The Greenpeace, ITU-APT Foundation and the government have long been been urging the telecom providers in India to shun diesel and switch to alternative sources of energy.

'Switch to green IT for energy security, inclusive growth' 

At the seminar, the International Telecom Union-Asia Pacific Telecommunity (ITU-APT) Foundation said the deployment of greener and efficient technologies can empower India with energy security and inclusive growth in emerging businesses.

TR Dua, vice chairman of GISFI, said that the government can offer pilot reward programs and allocate USO funds to those who take initiatives to switch to green technologies.

He said that the carbon footprint should be declared by the entire ecosystem. “Government can offer pilot reward programs and allocate USO funds to those who initiate adoption of green technologies,” he added.

Kuldip Singh, CMD of MTNL, said that the grid power must be made available so that no telecom companies would use diesel. “It’s not only the telecom sector, but the other industries are also heavily dependent on diesel fuel. The availability of power can only change the present landscape,” said Singh.

J Gopal, advisor (technology) at Telecom Commission, said that India has emerged as one of the growing economies in the world. It’s essential for telecom operators to use green energy and switch to smarter networks, he added.