The National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) has made out a strong case before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to launch a solar energy mission on the lines of the Space Commission to meet India's growing energy needs. In a communication to the prime minister, NMCC chairman V Krishnamurthy said activities relating to solar energy should be put "in top gear to make it the major supplier of energy in the coming years'.

Disunity and recrimination marked the start of France's European Union presidency on Tuesday as Nicolas Sarkozy exchanged accusations with the European Commission over world trade talks. The French president denounced Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner, in a television interview on Monday evening for allegedly selling out EU farmers

B Ravichandran | Udhagamandalam BEARHATTY village panchayat near here is eying for the establishment of wind power project in tune with eco-conservation and a move towards generating energy through non-conventional energy sources. Disclosing this to Express, panchayat president, Rajeshwari Devadas, said that the time has come for the village panchayats in the country to wake up to the dangers posed by eco-degradation and depletion of energy resources. She said that Kambisoali area in the panchayat is evaluated to be very conducive for harnessing wind energy.

Anantapur, June 30: The Non Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NEDCAP) is promoting production of wind energy to supplement state and central governments' efforts to boost power production. It is making efforts to realise full potential in the Rayalaseema districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur. Presently, 200 mw are being produced by 24 developers in the region. However, potential exists for producing around 10,000 mw by tapping wind potential identified at several places in the Rayalaseema districts.