Bangladeshi Dipal Barua receives 'Alternate Nobel'

Stockholm, Dec 8 - Dipal Barua from Bangladesh and Christopher Weeramantry from Sri Lanka were among the peace and environment activists from four countries honoured with the annual 'Alternate Nobel prize'.

The Right Livelihood awards were given to the activists Friday for their contribution in the fields of renewable energy, peace and fare market practices.

Barua, general manager of Grameen Shakti Bank Bangladesh was recognised for his contribution in renewable energy technologies in his country while Weeramantry, a legal scholar and former judge at the International Court of Justice, was awarded for his contribution in peace and conflict resolution. The former jurist shares his award with Dekha Ibrahim Abdhi of Kenya.

Percy Schmeiser of Canada was awarded for his commendable work for fare market practices.

Barua has been credited for installing more than 120,000 solar home systems in rural Bangladesh. Last year, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Prof. Yunus, the founding member of Grameen Bank, for his contribution to the poor. His bank has been providing micro-credits to millions of poor for livelihood and development projects.

Awarding the prize to Barua, the founder of the Right Livelihood awards Jakob von Uexkull said: 'It is a fact the future belongs to the renewable energy technologies. Unless this technology reaches to the millions of rural people, who suffer most from the energy crisis, it will not reach its full potential, and neither the economic and social problems of the world will be solved.'

'We began our project 11 years ago with a few hundred solar cells annually,' Dipal Barua, told IANS Friday.

'Now we have reached up to 50,000 solar cells being installed every year and (are) growing. We recruit 200 engineers every month in order to cope with the demands. Of an estimated 150 million poor in Bangladesh, 60 percent have no electricity. In rural areas just one in every five homes have access to electricity,' he said.

'A majority of our people are still dependant on kerosene for their daily needs. This is very dangerous for both people and the environment. Every day as the women do their cooking they inhale harmful gas. By substituting the kerosene with renewable solar energy we can change this situation.

'Sunlight is not a problem in Bangladesh which remains throughout the year. Moreover, the solar panel itself lasts at least 20 years, while the batteries have to be changed every five years. In order to purchase a solar panel a household can apply loans from the Grameen Shakti bank, which is to help the poor,' said Barua.

'I feel very proud Bangladesh is experiencing such welcome success. Thanks to modern technology. With solar cells we have proved beyond any doubt that it is perfectly possible to produce viable, economic and green electricity,' he added.

'We must resolve the lack of understanding between Islam and Christianity. There is a total ignorance on each side, of the richness and inspirational value of the other, and in fact, a tendency to deride the other,' said von Uexkull, after he gave away the award to Weeramantry.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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