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January 1, 2012

It's time to turn to energy from the Sun

KEERTHANA

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Renewable resource:K.S. Jayaraman displaying a torch which is powered by solar energy and (right) solar cooker.Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

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Keerthana

Anybody visiting Mr. K.S. Jayaraman for lunch might be served with tasty food cooked using solar energy. At a time, when conservation has become indispensable for continuous survival, Jayaraman's tryst with solar power appliances is heartening.

At 76, Jayaraman (94440 07105) is tech savvy. Having served Madras Aluminium Company and holding a degree in Instrumental Engineering, Mr. Jayaraman has been tapping technical possibilities to conserve energy, be it water or power.

“I have always been concerned about nature and its resources. When I came to know about solar powered appliances, I decided to utilise them in place of other forms of depleting energy,” Mr. Jayaraman says, who is the Chairman for Environment in Rotary Club of District 3230.

Devices

For the past four years, Mr. Jayaraman has been using solar powered cooker, lights, night lamps and torch lights at home.

He says, “If you keep the apparatus for five hours in sunlight, it stores the energy derived and works for five hours by transforming into energy forms such as light.”

Tying up with Rotary Club, he has planned to establish street lights in Javad Hills. He is also instrumental in setting up 15 street lights in Anna University. The pyramid-shaped Dana Bergh Hall of the Institute of Ocean Management, a facility to carry out environment related researches, was established at Anna University. Mr. Jayaraman was part of the team which supported the project from Rotary Club's end.

Though the solar devices are expensive and time consuming, they are worth a try.

“It will be a small but definite step towards conserving energy,” says Mr. Jayaraman. The retired man has been a consultant for lean management, where the objective is to eliminate waste in office.

Mr. Jayaraman says that the concept of ‘saving' is lacking with the present generation, be it wealth or natural resources, hence it is hard to take the message of preservation for future. He also adds that if more people, who can afford time and money, turn to solar energy, it would be a great help for the society.