Think India Foundation

Residents question 'safe' bio-medical waste disposal in Gurgaon

GURGAON: Waste management is an integral part of a healthcare system. Helping the Millennium City, which has emerged as a hub for quality healthcare services, to manage its bio-medical waste effectively and successfully is city-based Vulcan Waste Management Pvt. Ltd, a common bio-medical waste treatment facility (CBWTF) authorized by Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste.

"As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines in any area, only one CBWTF is allowed to cater to up to 10,000 beds situated within a radius of 150 km. Gurgaon at present has around 5,000 beds in its healthcare units, hence there is no need for a second facility as we are successfully providing our services to them. If the number of beds increases, we will increase our capacity as we already have the authorization," said Kuldeep Panwar, founder director of Vulcan Waste Management located at Bhondsi. The company also caters to the districts of Faridabad, Rewari, Mahendergarh, Palwal and Mewat. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority's reluctance halts Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's green belt proposal

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) are at loggerheads over allotment of 284 acres in Jawaharnagar for providing a buffer zone (green belt) around the dump yard and extending its boundary.

The GHMC has proposed providing a 100 metre buffer zone around the garbage dump in order to prevent ground, water and air pollution by acquiring 172 acres of government land from the HMDA. The corporation has been running the Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project at the dump yard since the past two years in public-private-partnership model along with Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd. The aim of the project, which began a couple of years ago, is to dispose around 3,800 metric tones of garbage daily in a scientific manner. Ramky was given 339 acres of land for the project. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

New techniques to help trees grow

MUMBAI: World Environment Day 2013 is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a 'green' economy in improving human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. It is also an opportunity to think about how we are progressing as a nation towards a clean and renewable energy future. 

In one such sustainable solutions initiative, Siemens India, through a paper innovation is celebrating the World Environment Day 2013 in a unique way. This is an idea which allows actual seeds to be embedded in a piece of paper. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mobile apps to monitor clean cookstoves adoption in India

NEW DELHI: Qualcomm Incorporated has developed SootSwap, a mobile application for monitoring the adoption of clean cooking technologies, a company official said.  

Approximately three billion people depend on traditional cookstoves for their cooking needs. A study reveals that four million people die every year as a result of inhaling the smoke produced by cooking over these open fires. Read more 

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

All eyes on government to solve sewage problem

NAGPUR: The cash-strapped Nagpur municipal corporation (NMC) is helpless in stopping the flow of sewage into the river or ensuring its treatment. However, since managing sewage is necessary to ensure the Nag River remains a clean water body, all eyes are on two projects pending with the central government for clearance. Mayor Anil Sole and municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane are hoping for total rejuvenation of the river within two years if gets the projects are approved.

Sole told TOI the quantity of sewage flowing in the river is huge. "Over 450 million litres per day (MLD) sewage is flowing through the entire city every day. NMC is operating 80 MLD sewage treatment plant and started construction of 130 MLD plant at Bhandewadi. We need to construct sewage pipelines for safe collection and carriage of sewage to the treatment plants, and have capacity to treat entire quantity. Two projects have been submitted to the government and approval is awaited," he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Japan can help India in waste water management

Tokyo (ANI): A growing population combined with a huge demand of water for development purposes, has put excessive stress on available water resources in India.

From 813 billion cubic metres in 2010 the demand of water is set to reach 1,093 billion cubic metres by 2025 in the country. Read more

Source : www.newstrackindia.com

Residents of Sukhdev Vihar want waste plant to go, pledge terraces for solar panels

NEW DELHI: Residents of Sukhdev Vihar's Pocket B have embarked on a unique mode of protest against the government's waste-to-energy plant in the area. They have pledged their rooftops for solar panels to increase the city's renewable energy supply so that technology like incineration may be abandoned altogether. 

"We have 18 blocks with four buildings each and there is a lot of open rooftop area that can be dedicated to solar panels. The idea is excellent and we have volunteered the space but would like the government to work with us. Solar power is quite expensive and not everyone will find it easy to install such projects. The government should step up and involve the resident welfare associations in a bigger project to set up rooftop solar panels," Anshu Garg, president of Sukhdev Vihar's Pocket B RWA, said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Upper Lake to be pollution-free: Gaur

BHOPAL: Urban administration and development minister Babulal Gaur has said that nullahs falling into the Upper Lake will be stopped and the lake will be made completely pollution-free. Gaur inspected the lake on cruise and gave necessary directives to officers. 

Gaur said efforts to conserve the lake need to be ensured constantly. For this, SEPT University of Ahmedabad is chalking out a master plan. He informed that Rs. 18.50 crore has been sanctioned recently under JNNURM for conservation of the lake. The minister informed that lighting arrangements will also be made on peripheries of the Upper Lake. He stressed on the need for increasing tourist activities further around the lake. Gaur said CPA should chalk out action plan for intensive plantation around the lake before monsoon. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Gurgaon lacks toxic waste disposal policy

GURGAON: There is no policy or guidelines for disposing of toxic waste generated by city hospitals and nursing homes in the city. This shocking fact came to light in a recent RTI reply.

According to the RTI reply, there does not seem to be any specific policy or instructions to dispose of the toxic waste generated by city hospitals, nursing homes and clinics in a safe manner. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Incentivise relocation of water-guzzling plants

Water is back in the news. It's drought time in Maharashtra. Some legislators have even begun demanding water supply cuts for industry and residences.

In Delhi, there is a clamour for privatisation of water supply. Somehow, India’s policymakers appear to have forgotten that this was how an attempt was made to privatise power supply as well, giving rise to Enron’s entry into India with sovereign guarantees. Without a public utility omnibus law protecting citizen’s interests – as in the US – it’s dangerous to privatise any public utility. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

No garbage disposal at Sec 23 site in Panchkula

PANCHKULA: In a huge respite for residents living in sectors 23 to 25 and adjoining areas of Panchkula, the National Green Tribunal, Delhi, has restrained the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and the municipal corporation(MC) from dumping solid waste at the Sectors 23 site. Till now, garbage of the entire Panchkula was dumped in Sector 23. The foul smell emanating from it made life difficult for people residing near it.

The tribunal passed these orders while hearing an issue pertaining to shifting of Sector 23 garbage dumping site on the grounds that waste was being dumped there without the permission of Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB). The matter was referred before the tribunal by the Punjab and Haryana high court in March this year. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Ooty model of bio-remediation to save urban waterbodies

CHENNAI : There is a ray of hope for hundreds of urban waterbodies, victims of urbanisation and industrial pollution. A combination of bio-ozolyte treatment process and bio-remediation adopted by the State government to save the Ooty Lake, can be used to recover these polluted water bodies.

According to officials, phosphorus and nitrogen are responsible for the rapid growth of water hyacinth, that has invaded many water bodies. The bio-processes will increase the dissolved oxygen (DO), by bringing down the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). DO improves quality of water and replenishes life in water bodies. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Modern lifestyle leaves urban folk wheezing: Expert

VARANASI: There is a sharp increase of asthma patients due to environmental pollution and lack of awareness towards the disease and its morbidity. "There is a need to create awareness among people about asthma, a modern-day disease caused by environmental pollution," said Dr JK Samaria, professor and head, department of chest disease, Institute of Medical Sciences,Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and national secretary of Indian Chest Society.

"Besides, the rapidly increasing modernisation and consequent changes in lifestyle has caused rapid increase in asthma prevalence," said Samaria, adding that being concerned about the rapid growth of the disease, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared first Tuesday of May as World Asthma Day. This year the World Asthma Day is being observed on May 7 with the theme 'You can control your asthma'. The WHO has set a target of reducing the asthma disease by 50% in the years to follow, he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Allowing quadricycles

Bajaj innovation could help upgrade urban public transport

New Delhi : Car manufacturers are intensively lobbying against Bajaj Auto's attempts at securing approval to market what it calls the "quadricycle" by seeking to meet weaker emission and safety standards than those applicable to cars. They fear that if this is allowed, the upgraded four-wheel version of the currently ubiquitous three-wheeler will eat into the car market by offering a lower price. That is because lower standards will allow the use of cheaper technologies. Mindful of this, Bajaj Auto has from the beginning carefully refrained from describing its product as a car. The firm says it is proposing to essentially make an upgraded three-wheeler that will meet emission standards applicable to similar vehicles in Europe. But while in Europe these are usually used by the old or very young (below driving-licence age) and treated as recreational vehicles, in India Bajaj Auto seeks to launch the quadricycle not just on city roads but highways too, and aim at volume sales.

In the first place, the quadricycle is unlikely to pose any challenge to cars. The disappointing sales of Tata Motors' Nano should make it clear that the Indian consumer does not go for a car simply because it is cheap, even if it scores well technologically. The declining popularity of the Maruti 800, even when it was available in cities, further underlines this preference. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Piling e-waste turning Hyderabad city toxic

HYDERABAD: Throwing out your old computer in a garbage dump may lead to mercury poisoning and a possible brain stroke. Confused? Experts on e-waste (electronic waste) management warned Hyderabadis against the hazards of not disposing e-waste properly and going by their claims, the city could have its very own Erin Brockovich story if immediate steps are not taken. 

In fact, some say the city is at the top spot when it comes to illegally converting PC monitors into television sets especially during lucrative periods like the ongoing IPL season, and later dumping them in water bodies. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India represents only 8% rise in global energy-related carbon emission: Report

New Delhi : This is one battle where India has an upper hand over China. India was responsible for only eight per cent increase of the global energy-related carbon dioxide emission in 2000-10, while China represented 68 per cent, according to a Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) report.

"Though India is better placed, it needs some real policy level intervention from the government. It should focus more on renewable space," said David Nelson, senior director, CPI. However, the report adds that in India, as with China, most new power generation since 2000 came from conventional sources, though the past decade saw exponential growth in renewable energy generation. During the 10 years from 2000, India's wind energy capacity grew by 1,250 per cent. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

A clean energy strategy for India

Renewable energy resources can provide India a degree of energy security, provide a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels

In 2012 India was the world’s fourth-largest market for new wind power projects. Photo: Bloomberg

At the Clean Energy Ministerial hosted in New Delhi recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to double India’s renewable energy capacity by 2017. This target adds to India’s already significant clean energy plans: In 2012 India was the world’s fourth-largest market for new wind power projects, it has ambitious solar energy and state-level targets, and it has significant government programmes on energy efficiency. Read more

Source : www.livemint.com

Bhopal bench of Green Tribunal directs collector to plant 2000 trees

Bhopal: Bhopal bench of National Green Tribunal on Thursday ordered Indore collector and others to ensure plantation of 2,000 indigenous trees for compensating loss of greenery due to construction of BRTS Corridor in the city.

 

The order came in response to a petition filed by volunteer activist Kishore Kodwani. Read more

Source : daily.bhaskar.com

Bangalore’s reality lags behind image

BANGALORE, India — Two decades ago, this bustling melting pot was an advertisement for a new, confident India. Bangalore’s young, unapologetically cosmopolitan, English-speaking workforce drove India’s economic rise and put the city on the global map, making it synonymous with the country’s information technology revolution.

Sanjit Das/Bloomberg - Pedestrians and traffic move along Brigade Road in Bangalore, India.

But these days, Bangalore’s reputation is taking a beating. Read more

Source : www.washingtonpost.com

Order against wastage of water in Garo Hills

SHILLONG: The district magistrate of West Garo Hills has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc against 'wanton wastage' of water and polluting streams in the wake of severe water crisis in the district, a government communique said.

"The order has been imposed at a time when Tura and surrounding areas are reeling under acute water shortage and it prohibits unwarranted, unhygienic and illegal practices leading to contamination and drying up of water bodies," read the statement. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Empire of maladies: What ails urban India?

Politics, paani puri & pollution — almost anything can hold our health hostage. A map of India's top malaises

 

Empire of maladies: What ails urban India?

The northern and southern most states of the country are facing some trouble in their head and heart. Over 55 per cent of the population suffers from some form of mental trauma in Kashmir, owing to decades of political turmoil. In Chennai, the prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease — one of the leading causes of death globally — is 11 times higher today than it was in the 1960s. And there we have it. Though middle class, urban India growing at a phenomenal rate (in three years, there'll be 53.3 million such households), invests generously in the wellness industry — pegged at Rs 49,000 cr — the rampant lack of well-being in our cities is surprising. Mirror spoke to researchers, doctors and residents across India to examine this disconnect, and ask them a simple question — what ails us and why? The answers were wide-ranging. Some connections, such as that between oral cancer and tobacco were apparent, others like the one between air pollution and infertility we wouldn't have guessed. In each case, however, experts stressed that while solutions are at hand, implementation through improved healthcare facilities and individual care is needed. Read more

 

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Indian IT majors pitch for renewable energy

Chennai: While most Indian states have failed to achieve their renewable energy targets, Indian IT firms are stepping up their efforts in advocating for a higher share of renewable energy in the country. 

Indian IT brands Wipro and HCL along with global majors Cisco, Google Ericcson and Fujitsu have emerged the winners amo­ng companies in technology sector that provide energy solutions to help address climate change in the global IT-sector climate leadership assessment by Greenpeace International While Wipro secured a 5th position, HCL was ranked 13th in the sixth Cool IT Leaderboard  that pitched 21 technology leaders against each other to find who comes out top in the fight to stop climate change. Read more

Source : www.deccanchronicle.com

India needs to increase focus on electric vehicles

The country has an electric mobility mission in place, and manufacturers like Toyota, Mahindra & Mahindra and Nissan are enthusiastic about electric vehicles. But there is a lot India needs to do to achieve its goals.

Globally, the auto industry sold 79.4 million units in 2012. This year, the industry will sell more than 80 million units and by 2020, that number maybe more than 100 million.

While giving out these numbers to a news channel during his visit to India in February this year, Toshiyuki Shiga, COO of Nissan Motor, said there was considerable environmental damage being done by increased use of fossil fuel, which could lead to the shortage of energy. Read more

Source : www.zdnet.com

District lake protection committee in Bangalore to become a reality soon

BANGALORE: The district lake protection committee, as made mandatory by the high court to monitor the activity around city lakes, might soon become a reality if the Lake Development Authority (LDA) has its way. 

It may be recollected that exactly a year ago, the Karnataka high court passed an unprecedented judgement in a PIL filed by ESG directing the state government to constitute District Lake Protection Committees to oversee protection and rehabilitation of lakes and their Raja Kaluves (canals) on a war footing. A year later, the state is yet to constitute these regulatory committees, and pollution and encroachment of lakes continues unabated. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Vaddem lake fish not fit to eat: Kuvelkar

VASCO: Vaddem's residents have been warned against consuming any fish from the lake, where, a week ago, dead fish were found afloat. "The fish are not fit for human consumption," Dr Vikas Kuvelkar, health officer, Urban Health Centre, Vasco, told TOI on Thursday.

He said the fish could have died due to lack of oxygen as the water is shallow and the temperatures are high, as well as the pollution caused by dumped wastes. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

GVMC violates rules

Visakhapatnam: The GVMC has violated the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000, and has been dumping the city garbage at Kapuluppada for which the AP Pollution Control Board has denied permission for the landfill.

Around 800 mt of waste is being generated per day in the city which contains around 45 pc of domestic and 13 pc of commercial waste, according to officials. Read more

Source : www.deccanchronicle.com

Saving the natural source: Water

LUCKNOW: Various civil society organization representatives working in water related issues have been coming together for preservation & enrichment of traditional water resource under threat of pollution, exploitation and encroachment.

To ensure success of Jal Jan Jodo Campaign delegates vowed to work whole heartedly for water crisis sensitization irrespective of caste, religion, region and Sex. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Rating system for green buildings launched

MUMBAI: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has launched a first-of-its-kind rating system to address sustainability aspects in existing buildings. 

The rating tool facilitates building owners and facility managers in implementation of green building strategies, measure their impacts and sustain the performance in the long run, a CII statement said. Green existing buildings have the potential to bring about operational savings in energy and water consumption to a tune of 15-30%, apart from enhanced air quality. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Carbon tax: A revenue for investment in low carbon growth

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for phased adjustments in the energy prices to bring them to the international level, at the 57th meeting of the National Development Council.

The increase in energy prices is a politically sensitive issue which can invite critics as being hard on  common man and affecting economic growth, the Kirit Parikh committee report on ‘Viable and Sustainable System of Pricing of Petroleum Products’ invited criticism as worse for the aam admi . Read more

Source : www.deccanherald.com

India’s stand on energy use responsible: Bahgat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : India as a global power has taken a responsible position in energy use, Gawdat G Bahgat, Professor of National Security Affairs, National Defence University, Washington DC, has said. Countries including India have started investing in clean, non-polluting and renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind power.

 “The future belongs to renewable sources of energy with the technology for harnessing them getting better and prices becoming lower,” Bahgat said at a presentation on ‘Global Energy Outlook: What Lies Ahead?’ organised here jointly by Asian School of Business (ASB), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the United States Consulate-General, Chennai. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

Kolkata celebrates Earth Day with stress on green initiatives

Kolkata: Honouring planet earth that is battling the impact of climate change, the city celebrated Earth Day with stress on novel ideas and strategies that can be adopted by its residents for a sustainable future.

Themed "Faces of Climate Change", the 43rd Earth Day was observed on Monday. Read more

Source : www.ndtv.com

5 Keys To Sustainable Development In Indian Cities

Indian cities are urbanizing at an unprecedented scale and pace. Over the next few decades, India’s urban population is expected to increase significantly, from 377 million in 2011 to 590 million by 2030.

Children play in Mumbai, India. Photo credit: EMBARQ

The problem is that the country’s existing urban transport infrastructure is already over-capacity. This fact–coupled with the alarmingly high rate of traffic fatalities, increasing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, and urban sprawl–has created a sense of urgency to improve the quality of life in our cities now for the benefit of future generations. Read more

Source : insights.wri.org

Rethinking Delhi in 2050 online

NEW DELHI: When a group of architects interviewed some children in Delhi, they found the youngsters didn't know that the city developed around the Yamuna. It made them wonder if, come 2050, the river will exist at all in the new generations' mindscapes. 

What else will change in the city? Will it be more unsafe to step out at night? Will the city choke on jams and noxious air? A team of architects and town planners launched a unique online project recently that aims to recreate Delhi in 2050 with inputs from citizens. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Crackdown on land sharks to start soon in Noida

NOIDA: Concerned over massive encroachment of floodplains in the NCR, a high-level meeting was held in Noida Authority office on Monday in which officials decided to crack down on violators. Environmentalist Sunita Narain, environment pollution authority chairman Bhure Lal and senior police and administration officials of west UP, Delhi and other NCR towns also discussed ways to curb rising pollution levels.Noida Authority also assured that measures will be taken for providing parking facilities, promoting public transport and addressing traffic congestion issues.

On Monday, while reviewing existing systems in place in the twin cities, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority appointed by the apex court stressed on the deplorable medical waste disposal facilities and management in Noida and Ghaziabad. Apart from this, the pollution control body also directed the Authority not to damage parks for creating parking space. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Green energy and beyond

Infrastructural challenges could derail India’s aggressive renewable energy efficiency policies, says a new report

Industrial emission: Pollution on the rise. Photo: K.K. Mustafah

India has aggressive renewable energy targets and industry energy efficiency policies, but faces significant infrastructure challenges which may derail the otherwise good policy, according to a new report by Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), a U.S.-based global policy effectiveness analysis and advisory organisation. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Biomedical waste posing a threat to human life

KOZHIKODE : Many hospitals in the state have been found to flout norms stipulated by the state in disposing off biomedical waste or utilising the services of IMAGE, the biomedical management body of the Indian Medical Association, which is entrusted with handling biomedical wastes produced in the state.

 At present, the services of IMAGE are being utilised only by 4,103 hospitals and clinics out of about 15,000 in the state. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

Contaminated water being supplied in many areas of Varanasi

VARANASI: The city is in grip of water crisis. Supply of water is affected and some times compounded by factors like power-cuts and digging of roads that leaves pipes damaged. Narainpur corporator Shivshankar said that because of the digging work in the area, water pipes have been damaged causing leakage and mixing of sewage and potable water. People are forced to use contaminated water for daily chores and even drinking as they have no alternative. "I feel ashamed when I find people of my ward suffer. In Laxmanpur Harijan Basti, Natania Dai Mandir and Bhojubir areas, pipes are damaged and the supply is badly," he added.

Many areas in trans-Varuna region face similar condition. Shivpur corporator Rajnath Yadav said that in Sonkar Basti, there was no water supply for almost three months due to the damaging of a pipe during laying of storm water drainage pipelines. "Several complaints in this regard fell on deaf ears,'' he said. In the Cantonment area, condition of water supply is no better. "The biggest water pump in Cantonment was lying dysfunctional for past four days," said Shailendra Singh, vice-president, Cantonment Board. On Friday, the restoration work was started by Jal Nigam on the initiative of CEO of Cantonment Board. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The unsustainability of fossil fuel use in India

Replacing fossil fuel by renewables have become vital for sustainable or green energy development

The share of import of coal in total apparent consumption has in fact grown from 2.2% in 1989-90 to 11.1% in 2010-2011. Photo: Daniel Berehulak /Getty Images

India’s current energy use is unsustainable. This consists of fossil fuels, hydropower and nuclear resources on the one hand, and combustible biomass and waste on the other, the latter being largely non-traded resources having a share of almost one quarter in the total primary energy supply. New renewable resources, meanwhile, currently have a negligible share (0.36%) in the total commercial (traded) energy balance. Table 1 shows the composition of India’s primary energy supply as of 2009, where the total supply is the energy equivalent of 366 million tonnes of oil. Read more

Source : www.livemint.com

IEA for phasing out fuel subsidies

Says clean energy system is not possible without prices reflecting true cost of energy

New Delhi : Advocating phasing out of fuel subsidies, International Energy Agency today said clean energy system was not possible without prices reflecting true cost of energy.

"For too long have we supported, directly or indirectly, wasteful use of energy. Largely this is because prices do not reflect the true cost of energy. Altering this means creating a meaningful carbon price and phasing out fuel subsidy," IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven said at the Clean Energy Ministerial conference here. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Progress towards clean energy has stalled: IEA

Renewable technologies & greater efforts by emerging economies among few bright spots

New Delhi : The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday said the drive to clean up the world’s energy system had stalled. IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven told the 23-member Clean Energy Ministerial despite much talk by world leaders and a boom in renewable energy through the last decade, the average unit of energy produced on Wednesday was “as dirty as it was 20 years ago”.

The rapid expansion of renewable technologies was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak assessment of global progress towards low-carbon energy, IEA said in an annual report presented to the ministerial here on Wednesday. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Bengaluru rues rapid growth as India's IT hub

Technology boom has brought higher incomes but slums proliferate and services are squeezed in crowded 'garden city'
• Urbanisation can be 'force for good'

People walk through Infosys headquarters in Bengaluru, India. Photograph: Getty

Bengaluru was a lovely city until the IT crowd ruined it, so goes the joke. 

"The reason the IT sector came to the city was its reputation as a great city to live in," a resident told me on a recent visit. "Of course, technology created jobs, but the city has grown so fast and become too crowded." Read more

Source : www.guardian.co.uk

Cheap, green energy: Plants show the way

Scientists have harnessed the principles of photosynthesis to develop a new way of producing hydrogen — in a breakthrough that offers a possible solution to global energy problems. The researchers claim the development could help unlock the potential of hydrogen as a clean, cheap and reliable power source. Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen can be burned to produce energy without producing emissions. It is also the most abundant element on the planet. Hydrogen gas is produced by splitting water into its constituent elements — hydrogen and oxygen.

But scientists have been struggling for decades to find a way of extracting these elements at different times, which would make the process more energy-efficient and reduce the risk of dangerous explosions. In a paper published in the journal Nature Chemistry, scientists at the University of Glasgow outline how they have managed to replicate the way plants use the sun's energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen at separate times and at separate physical locations. Experts heralded the "important" discovery on Sunday, saying it could make hydrogen a more practicable source of green energy. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

BRT system best alternative to public transport: WRI

Mumbai : With rising traffic and the delays on roads, the bus rapid transit (BRT) system can be the best alternative as public transport to cut on accidents and bring down the total time spent on roads, according to Jamshyd Godrej, chairman of World Reso­urces Institute, India (WRI) a non-profit organisation working to improve the overall infrastructure of cities.

The BRT system costs just five per cent of the total cost per km taken by the rail metros. If the Ahmedabad BRT is taken as an example, the city has managed to move around half of the vehicular traffic to BRT. Read more

Source : www.mydigitalfc.com

'IT applications useful in increasing energy efficiency'

ALLAHABAD: The Information Communication Technologies (ICT) applications have significant role in management of energy by reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiency, said IIIT-A director MD Tiwari while speaking at the ninth foundation day of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology, Amethi (RGIITA) on Monday.

Inaugurating the two-day seminar on "IT applications in energy management", Tiwari said technologies such as simulation, modeling, analysis, monitoring and visualisation tools offered by ICTs could allow to optimise the use of existing energy resources by taking into account many factors such as energy demand. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Study shows boost in international climate change policies

Implementation and impact of policy related to climate change has significantly increased over the last decade according to a new study by the Climate Policy Initiative.

The new report ‘The Policy Climate’ has put together 30 years of evidence from five key economies, China, EU, US, Brazil and India – which combined, contains more than 50% of the worlds population, accounting for almost two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. Read more

Source : blueandgreentomorrow.com

Electronic waste collection programmes to be launched in Hyderabad

An integrated electronic waste collection programme will be launched in four cities — Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

A worker operates a conveyor belt at Attero’s e-waste plant.

Want to trade-off you electronic waste for a decent discount voucher on your next purchase of the similar item? Want to be a responsible citizen by not dumping electronic waste in open areas, which is pushing water and land contamination? You can soon do this with help of Attero, India’s largest electronics asset management company. Read more

Source : postnoon.com

Save Nag River campaign: NADI it is

Who is most responsible for the pollution of Nag River, was the first question to be tackled by the seven panellists. Convener of Vidarbha Environmental Action Group Sudhir Paliwal expressed almost everyone's opinion that all are to blame: citizens, politicians, planning authorities and civic administration.

NMC's officiating superintending engineer for JNNURM schemes Prakash Urade added, "Since last 15-20 years, the civic body focused solely on water supply while neglecting sewer lines. This left Nag River as only outlet for sewage." Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pahadiyas fight water battle

RANCHI: The "vanishing" Pahadiya tribe, one of the eight primitive tribes in the state, is forced to drink contaminated water from ponds and small falls.

The tribe people, who live in huts situated atop a hill in the Amarpara block of Pakur district, 400 km from here, are facing huge water crisis in the area forcing them to collect water from small fall, ponds, and other water sources. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra office to be first green building of Nagpur

NAGPUR: You might have heard about a green building but may not know what are its specialities. If you are eager to see one and have some patience, then there is an opportunity in Nagpur itself. Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) is constructing one such building for Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) near Hingna T-Point on the bank of Ambazari Lake.

Going green in building construction involves minimizing the damage to nature. There should be minimum change in the topography of the area, water and electricity consumption should be reduced by using solar power and recycled water while the construction should be done using recyclable material. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Industrial waste polluting Sundarbans ecosystem: Report

KOLKATA: Industries located along the Gangetic delta in Haldia, Kolkata and its outskirts are polluting the fragile ecosystem of Sundarbans, home to 40 lakh people and the Royal Bengal Tiger, a latest study says.

Industries located along the Gangetic delta in Haldia, Kolkata and its outskirts are polluting the fragile ecosystem of Sundarbans.

The research, conducted by a group of scientists from Calcutta University and Techno India University, says there has been a steady increase in the percentage of toxic heavy metals leading to the gradual deterioration of water there. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com