Saina, Gopichand back energy conservation mission

Hyderabad - Andhra Pradesh has roped in badminton star Saina Nehwal and coach Pullela Gopichand to support its energy conservation mission, an official said Wednesday.

The celebrities Wednesday met Chief Secretary Minnie Mathew and other top officials to extend their support to the energy conservation campaign activities initiated by the State Energy Conservation Mission (SECM).

Lauding their voluntary support to SECM, the chief secretary appealed to all celebrities to help in the efforts to make energy conservation a mass movement.

Describing energy conservation a social responsibility, Gopichand urged all stakeholders to actively take part in the movement.

Quoting an SECM report, the chief secretary said huge energy saving was possible in the state. She appealed to consumers to tap this potential to avoid wastage of precious energy.

The state is facing an unprecedented power shortage. The gap between demand and supply is about 70 million units per day, severely affecting the industry.

The SECM had decided to take forward the energy conservation movement to the door steps of public in a big way in addition to initiating measures like optimisation of generation and purchase of power from outside the state, said an official statement.