Diesel consumption in over 5.85 lakh mobile towers across the country could be a whopping 5.12 billion litres a year.
The figure has been arrived after assuming that the towers are using only diesel to meet their power needs.
“TRAI in its report has indicated an average fuel consumption of 8,760 litres diesel every year per tower assuming 8 hours of operation by diesel generator sets,” Minister of State for Communications and IT Milind Deora said in a written reply to Lok Sabha today.
Total carbon emission on account of diesel use by telecom towers is estimated to be around 10 mt of carbon dioxide, he said.
Deora, however, said no study has been conducted by the government to assess the quantum of carbon emission from the mobile towers.
“There are 5.85 lakh mobile towers as on January 31, 2013 in the country and in all the mobile towers, diesel generator sets have been installed as a backup power,” Deora added.
Asked about diesel consumption by telecom sector and loss of revenue to exchequer on subsidised diesel, Deora said actual data for consumption of diesel in the telecom sector is not available.
“Diesel available in the market is being used by operators in operating the cellular mobile towers in telecom sector,” he added.