Nagaland must speed up its transition to renewable energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and adopt sustainable lifestyles to address climate change and strengthen energy security, Director of New and Renewable Energy James Khala said.
Addressing the Nagaland State-Level Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2026 in Kohima, Khala described climate change as a major global challenge, pointing to rising temperatures, flash floods, melting glaciers and changing weather patterns as growing threats to people and the environment.
He said the continued use of fossil fuels remained a major contributor to global warming and called for greater adoption of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and hydropower.
Emphasising energy conservation, Khala said reducing electricity consumption would also lower the need for additional power generation. He encouraged people to use energy-efficient appliances and electric vehicles, rely on public transport, walk or cycle for shorter journeys, minimise waste and conserve water.
He called for a shift in the approach to development, saying progress should not be assessed solely through roads and infrastructure but also through sustainable agriculture, environmental protection and the utilisation of locally available renewable energy resources.
Khala added that recent geopolitical conflicts and disruptions in global energy supplies had underlined the importance of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthening energy security through alternative sources.
He stressed that energy security needed to be strengthened from the village level to the state, Northeast and national levels, while urging people to ensure that energy consumption was guided by needs rather than wants.
Additional Director of School Education Deenabandhu Panda said India imported nearly 80 per cent of its crude oil requirements, making energy conservation and alternative fuel sources essential for economic stability.
He highlighted the potential of ethanol and biogas generated from agricultural residues and waste, along with rooftop solar power and electric vehicles, to reduce dependence on imported fuels.
Panda also encouraged consumers to purchase energy-efficient electrical appliances, particularly those with higher Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star ratings, saying they could reduce electricity consumption and household expenses.
NEEPCO General Manager N. Khogendra Meitei said the national painting competition had been organised since 2005 to encourage energy conservation among schoolchildren. More than 80 lakh students from around 1.1 lakh schools participated in the competition last year, he added.
The competition was organised by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), Doyang Power Station, Nagaland, under the aegis of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power.
A total of 1,860 students from 56 schools across Nagaland took part in the preliminary round, with 100 shortlisted for the state-level competition.
Issina Rangkau of Little Star Higher Secondary School and Anamika Ghose of Chitrakala School of Fine Arts secured first prizes in Group A (Classes 5 to 7) and Group B (Classes 8 to 10), respectively.
Jasper Varay of EMBER Art Academy and Smiti Debnath of PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya won second prizes, while Hardik Khemani of Holy Cross Higher Secondary School and Lhuvese Medeo of Government High School secured third prizes in their respective categories.
The winners will represent Nagaland at the national-level competition scheduled to be held in New Delhi on December 11.
