Dear Shri Prakash Javadekar

This petition starts today, while you address a High Level Segment of UNFCCC COP-20 at Lima stating that India is committed and ready to play its part in the global fight against climate change. Sir, It is in this light of our vision and will to address climate change that I request your positive intervention in the subject matter.

The Problem:

India spans longitudes of 68° at the western end and 98° at the eastern boundary and as there is a difference of one hour for every 15° of longitude, the two extremes differ by two hours. Thus, when the sun sets at 4 p.m. in Kohima, it sets at 6 p.m. in Porbunder. 

The menace of two time zones

It is true that several developed countries have multiple time zones. But it is also important to understand the repercussions of copy pasting ideas from a Western World into a developing economy. India has a huge population; if the country were divided into two time zones, there would be chaos at the border between the two zones. It would mean resetting clocks with each crossing of the time zone. There is scope for more dangerous kinds of confusion. Railway signals are not fully automated and many routes have single tracks. Trains may meet with major accidents owing to human errors. Just one such accident would wipe out any benefits resulting from different time zones in the country.

Proposed Solution

It is proposed to advance IST by half an hour avoids the problems apprehended in the other two proposals (of time zones and DST) but provides maximum energy saving during evening hours when the utilities fail to supply continuous power. 

How is energy saved?

Energy is saved by aligning India's clock to ensure longer use of sunlight and consequently less use of energy for lighting. Government may also issue guidelines to companies to start early by advancing office hours to utilize daylight like the Developed Nations and close office with the sunset.

The saving from this revolution amounts to about 2.7 bU per year, almost 18 per cent of evening peaking energy use, and would partly reduce the deficit that we presently suffer. the saving due to two time zones comes from the eastern zone only, and for DST from half the year. The half-hour advancement of IST provides benefits for the whole country for the whole year. 

Hence, by advancing IST, the entire country reaps the benefits of DST and two time zones, but with none of the inconveniences or apprehensions expressed. In addition, the country stands to save more energy, especially in the evening load shedding hours, than it may otherwise.

I, therefore, urge you to take necessary action to implement this change and walk the talk on India's commitment to fight against Climate change.

Yours sincerely

Neha Singh

Disclaimer: The content of this petition is largely borrowed from articles written by D.P. SenGupta & Dilip R. Ahuja. Mr. SenGupta was formerly a professor at the Indian Institute of Science and is currently a visiting professor of the National Institute of Advanced Studies in Bangalore. Dilip R. Ahuja is ISRO Professor at NIAS.

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency commissioned a study by them on quantifying energy savings through advancing IST, based on a paper published by them in Current Science in 2007. Their final report was submitted to the BEE in September 2011.

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/changing-time/