Seminar on oil conservation and the role of oil public sector undertakings in the development of the nation held at Press Club of India
On May 24, in the main auditorium of Press Club of India, Amar Sandesh newspaper published from Delhi organized an impressive and informative seminar and Energy Security Award-2026 on the topic “Role of Energy and Public Petroleum Sector Undertakings in the Nation” in the impressive presence of former Governor of Maharashtra and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and Padma Bhushan recipient Hon’ble Bhagat Singh Koshyari and in the presence of Chief Guest and Key Speaker ONGC Retired Director (Exploration) Sushma Rawat.
Sunil Negi, President, Uttarakhand Journalists Forum, editor Uknationews addressing the seminar [/caption]
The seminar, organized on a burning topic being discussed on the global and national level, was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by the chief and special guests present on the stage, Sushma Rawat, retired Director, ONGC, Durga Singh Bhandari, retired GM (HR), ONGC and Director, Molyar Resource Foundation, Dr. K.C. Pandey, President, Indian Magician Association, Professor Ravi Sharma, Shri Ram College, Delhi University, C.M. Papnai, senior journalist, Amar Chandra and Nimmi Thakur, Chief Editor, etc.
In the seminar organized on the current burning issue “Role of Energy and Public Petroleum Sector Undertakings in the Nation”, all the dignitaries as well as other prominent speakers, senior journalists Sunil Negi, Sujit Thakur, Chartered Accountant Rajeshwar Painuli, associated with many social organizations of Uttarakhand, etc., expressed their informative views on the related seminar topic without any hesitation including those seated on the dias.
Former Maharashtra Governor, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, and Padma Bhushan Honorable Bhagat Singh Koshyari said, “Amar Sandesh newspaper chief Amar Chandra’s programs are small; small is always big.” He said, “The seminar’s topic is interesting and important.” Citing an example, Bhagat Singh Koshyari said, “Modi ji talked about toilets in every home. If 75 percent of the work has been completed, that’s a good thing. A lot of work has been done on solar energy.”
India is leading the world in this area. It is said that Gadkari saw a man pulling a rickshaw. He reflected on his experience and conceived the e-rickshaw. He brought that idea to life. Today, e-rickshaws are running in large numbers everywhere.
He congratulated Amar Sandesh for bringing out a seminar on Petro products cunservation and role of the oil undertakings in the production and development of the nation. The former Maharashtra governor, ex MP and former Uttarakhand CM was addressing the august gathering at Press Club of India the other day.
Emphasising as the urgent need to preserve and conserve energy and power Bhagat Singh Koshyari said that when he was the Governor of Maharashtra, he would go for a morning walk. He instructed the concerned department to turn off the state lights that were burning after the sun had set. Turning off the unnecessary state lights saved electricity.
Similarly, it is not right for water to flow unnecessarily. Decisions are made after careful consideration. It is important for the public to be aware said Mr. Koshyari.
“One must live life with honesty. I hope the ideas that emerged from the seminar will be beneficial for Uttarakhand.” added the former CM and governor.
Koshyari said that as a Member of Parliament, he himself served as a member of the Parliamentary Energy Board. In that capacity, he had said that boiling water emerges from a place on the extremely cold hills of Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand, which is astonishing.
Similarly, exploration is essential for oil and gas. It was stated that we will have to consider how to proceed in the areas where production is underway. Any positive ideas that emerge from the seminar will be beneficial for Uttarakhand. Koshyari concluded his address with these impressive thoughts.
Speaking on the topic of the seminar, Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker, retired ONGC Director ( exploration and investigations) Sushma Rawat, said that she has a strong connection to the Uttarakhand region and adored the Himalayan state to the hilt.
The seminar’s remarks were somewhat factual and somewhat misleading.
She stated that coal plays a major role in power generation, contributing 74 percent of the nation’s energy.
Solar energy harvesting and enrichment was started with solar cookers. During the loading work done by elephants in Digboi, Assam, the material on their feet revealed that there is oil at that place which is available in abundance even after more than a century.
She said that everyone should go to Digboi in Assam and visit the refinery that was not only the very first refinery but a lifeline of our nation.
As informed by Sushma Rawat, the keynote speaker, oil distribution work is done by two public sector undertakings in India, ONGC and Burmah Oil.
It was informed that currently many public sector undertakings are working in the energy sector. Our country also exports refined crude oil, some of this oil is also used in fertilizers. It was informed that through ONGC, there are some blocks in fifteen foreign countries where we have discovered oil. It was informed that at one time, ONGC employed around 46 thousand employees in various technical fields. ONGC is a group of companies which has fourteen companies.
ONGC Green has solar. The company has extended its hand for work in many countries and states of the country.
Key speaker Sushma Rawat informed that the temperature increases by two and a half to three degrees in the lower areas of the Himalayan regions. Solar energy provides energy as long as the sun is there. There are eleven other companies in ONGC which do not do R&D in refineries. Only a few refineries do R&D. It was told that wind energy is renewable in which speed is necessary.
It was informed that the above work is being done in Kutch, Tamil Nadu and Ladakh. It was informed that the distribution ecosystem in solar has to be expanded. Each state has its own policy. Most of ONGC’s oil is imported from Russia, trade is done in rupees.
It was informed that the government keeps public sector undertakings under its control. Nuclear energy work cannot be given to every company. Public sector undertakings and public sector will take the activities forward by working on green energy.
Chief guest and keynote speaker Sushma Rawat informed that efforts are being made to deliver piped gas wherever possible. She explained that oil isn’t produced alone; carbon dioxide and gas are also produced, which were previously burned.
Now, the gas that serves as our cooking gas will be made available to people for work. She explained that many of today’s manufactured products are linked to petrochemicals. We must be aware that energy savings strengthen our economy asserted Sushma Rawat.
It was stated that the role of public sector enterprises is essential and vital to maintaining a strong economy. It was pointed out that our country has abundant gas. While our current generation understands the scarcity, future generations will understand it, which is understandable. It was also pointed out that approximately 60 percent of technicians employed in foreign oil companies are Indian.
In the seminar organized on the current burning issue “Role of Energy and Public Petroleum Sector Undertakings in the Nation”, all the dignitaries as well as other prominent speakers, senior journalists Sunil Negi, Sujit Thakur, Chartered Accountant Rajeshwar Painuli, associated with many social organizations of Uttarakhand, etc., expressed their informative views on the related seminar topic without any hesitation.
While speaking on the related topic, the speakers said that there was no enterprise before the year 1947.
After the country got independence, the country’s leadership worked wisely and judiciously and planned the policy. There was a change in the country after the years 1956, 1965. LPG came for domestic use in the year 1970. In the year 1984, along with oil, we also moved towards gas. The country faced a challenge, 75 percent oil and 50 percent gas were imported from foreign countries. The speakers said that the public sector enterprises established in the country do big and effective work in the national interest.
Speakers highlighted the vast renewable energy source connected to the sun. Learning to conserve this energy can offer great promise. It was stated that India has made leaps and bounds in solar energy. We have progressed forty-fold. More work is needed in this field. Speakers emphasized that we must think and strive to save even a drop of petrol and a unit of electricity.
Speakers stated that the very first verse in the Rig Veda is about energy, invoking Agni. The Sun is invoked in the morning, which stimulates the growth of plants that provide our food. It was said that life is impossible without energy. Public sector enterprises involved in energy production and distribution are like our backbone. Even small efforts can save our energy.
Speakers stated bluntly that there is no energy crisis; it has been created or is being caused. Public sector enterprises related to energy have played a significant role in the country’s development. Energy can be generated on a large scale by using the sawdust naturally fallen from pine trees as fuel. Forest fires in Uttarakhand can be controlled and the Himalayan environment and climate diversity can be protected.
