West pressurising India to adopt expensive coal technologies

Mr Kabil Sibal union minister for science and technology recently said that the western world is putting pressure on India to adopt very expensive clean coal technologies, which could be feasible only after 15 to 20 years.

Mr Sibal said for the next 20 years, India would have to depend on coal as the main energy source to sustain a GDP growth rate of 9% to 10%. He added that as far as alternative sources of energy are concerned, India had limited options, 70% of our oil is imported, hydroelectricity is not a feasible option in all parts of the country and wind power could account for just 4% of the energy mix.