The report calls for telecom companies to replace diesel consumption with renewable sources of energy for their mobile towers.

The report says that the number of towers in India stands at 4 lakh and nearly 70 per cent of the towers are situated in areas with frequent power outages, where electricity is required round-the-clock. It says that an estimated 3.4 billion litres of diesel was consumed by the telecom industry last year, and it is expected to reach 6 billion litres by 2020. This the report says will increase burden on the governement and result in emission of over 8.4 billion carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

"With growth, the sector’s appetite for energy will increase, making it a significant source of carbon emissions unless the industry adopts and advocates renewable energy use and backs laws to cut emission ," said Mrinmoy Chattaraj, Greenpeace India Campaigner and co-author of the report.

To read the report, click here

SOURCE: Greenpeace India