Think India Foundation

Mumbai takes the lead in green housing projects

Mumbai : Quicker govt clearance is drawing more developers to plan environment-friendly buildings.

More green residences are coming up in Mumbai over the past couple of years  since the state has made it easier for these projects; higher costs may not be an issue much longer. 

According to experts with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), of the 2 billion square feet of green construction projects across the country, a quarter are registered in Mumbai. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.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

Waste no more

India is likely to see its waste generation triple to 376,639 tonnes per day by 2025. The solution to managing this could lie in segregating the waste. 

New Delhi: Sheetal Pawar, a housewife who lives in the Katraj ward, or prabhag as it is known locally, of Pune, began segregating the waste generated by her household into dry (or inorganic) and wet (organic) waste two years ago. It was part of a pilot initiated jointly by four organizations in Pune to move towards zero waste developed on the philosophy of recycling garbage—a practice already in vogue in metropolises like New York and London.

In a majority of the cities in the country, solid waste goes straight to landfills without any segregation. Once the site is filled, the authorities are expected to find another, not always easy given the pressure of land. Photo: Hindustan Times

According to Pawar it was not a difficult practice to weave into her daily routine; while the organic waste including vegetable peel, egg shells and leftover food is deposited in a green coloured bin, all the inorganic waste like paper, plastic and aluminium are placed in a white bin. Read more

Source : www.livemint.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’s missing market for water

The problem that needs public attention is that of the general mismanagement of natural resources under public control

 The absence of a private market for entrepreneurs to engage in profitable commerce in providing water resources is partially responsible for their perennial scarcity Photo: Mint

The Union and state governments in India plan to collectively invest a substantive amount of about Rs.1.1 trillion ($20 billion) for sewage treatment, irrigation and recycling in the next five years, according to a recent interview that Bloomberg had with a special secretary in the ministry of water resources.

This comes against the backdrop of a severe crisis in the availability of clean water for agricultural as well as industrial purposes, stumping a number of investment projects worth billions of dollars. Notably, the scramble for clean water has often led to the brewing of intense conflict between industrialists and farmers in various parts of the country. Read more

Source : www.livemint.com

Cities facing garbage disposal problem: Govt

New Delhi : Due to lack of dumping space, financial constraints and inadequate capacity of urban local bodies, problem of garbage disposal in cities has increased manifold, the government told the Rajya Sabha today.

Lack of proper recycling and reuse of waste is further aggravating the problems of landfills, Minister of State for Urban Development Deepa Dasmunshi said in a written reply. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Delhi's rubbish plans throw poor off waste heap

NEW DELHI - India's planners worry about "jobless growth", but perhaps nothing illustrates this phenomenon better than a policy of handing over the collection and disposal of the capital's refuse to large private corporations, leaving close to 50,000 ragpickers unemployed. 

For decades, ragpickers provided a service to this city, scavenging waste for recyclable plastic, aluminum, glass and other materials, and earning a livelihood by selling their pickings to contractors with equipment to process the waste into useful items like fibre-reinforced roofing sheets. Read more

Source : www.atimes.com

Mundhwa facility to let treated water into canal

PUNE: The standing committee of the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) recently approved the lifting of 6.5 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) treated water from the river and letting it into the Mutha canal for irrigation. The project at Mundhwa will include a jack well, a pumping station and a recycling plant at a cost of Rs 31 crore.

Of the 750 MLD sewage generated in the city, about 527 MLD is treated. This water can be used for gardening, car washing and other non-drinking purposes or can be sent downstream for irrigation. However, in the absence of a centralized system, it is released into the river along with 25% of untreated sewage. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.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

A daunting task ahead

BANGALORE : The city was in the throes of a major garbage crisis not so long ago. While the situation may seem like it is under control, none of the solutions proposed by the solid waste management experts have been implemented, giving rise to fears that Bangalore could be engulfed in its own garbage anytime again.

It remains to be seen whether the new government will rise to the challenge of finding a solution to the garbage issue. File photo: Bhagya Prakash K

The crisis erupted in September last when the communities living around the landfills rose in protest against the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) dumping untreated waste in their backyard. This resulted in garbage piling up across the city. The city generates more than 3,500 tonnes of garbage every day. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Tata Faces Crisis as $20 Billion Spent on Water: Corporate India

India, the world’s second-most populous nation, is doubling spending on water management to a record as conglomerates from the Tatas to Adani face shortages that the United Nations calls an impending crisis.

The federal and state governments have set aside 1.1 trillion rupees ($20 billion) for sewage treatment, irrigation and recycling for the five-year period ending March 2017, G. Mohan Kumar, special secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources, said in an interview. The nation with 1.2 billion people, which treats only 20 percent of its sewage, is pouring more money as inadequate clean water is threatening to stunt growth in industrial and farm output. Read more

Source : www.bloomberg.com

Explorer sees green hope in recycling

NEW DELHI: You don't become the first person to walk to the north and south poles unless you're robust. But visits to landfills in the capital were enough to make Robert Swan sick. "I was on steroids because the filth made me nauseous," Swan confesses to TOI.

But Swan's tryst with India has not ended here. In a candid chat to TOI on Wednesday, he has said he is "learning" from his experiences in India so he can go back and "blow the socks off negotiators" at global environmental forums. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.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

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

Scrap dealers to get you good deals on your e-junk

New Delhi : Your local scrap dealer would soon offer you vouchers redeemable at electronics stores in exchange for your dead computer or old cellphone. He may have other interesting schemes.

This innovative idea too was born out of necessity: Electronic goods manufacturers’ fear of penal action under electronic waste management rules, which requires setting up of collection centres for electronic waste. The rules, based on the European model of mandatory take-back policy and adopted by India in 2011, has made manufacturers liable for collection of used electronic products. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Recycling plan to save water for drinking fails to take off in Pune

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is yet to start work on its ambitious project to recycle treated water, four years after the corporation proposed the project. The project would prevent use of drinking water for industrial purposes and reduce water shortage experienced in some areas in the municipal limits.

The PCMC's plan to supply 120 MLD (million litres per day) treated water from its sewage treatment plants at Kasarwadi to industries in the municipal limit was to be implemented on a public-private partnership basis. However, civic officials say a foreign company that had initially evinced interest in the recycling project later backed out. The officials said the project also required a large investment. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Plastic waste time bomb ticking for India, SC says

NEW DELHI: "We are sitting on a plastic time bomb," the Supreme Court said on Wednesday after the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) informed it that India generates 56 lakh tonnes of plastic waste annually, with Delhi accounting for a staggering 689.5 tonnes a day.

Plastic waste time bomb ticking for India, says SC.

"Total plastic waste which is collected and recycled in the country is estimated to be 9,205 tonnes per day (approximately 60% of total plastic waste) and 6,137 tonnes remain uncollected and littered," the CPCB said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Construction, demolition debris chokes Delhi

The massive construction and demolition waste (malba) generated in the capital is not only polluting Yamuna banks, from where 10,000 truckloads of waste need to be removed, but creating problems in the entire city.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has admitted in her budget speech that the problem of disposal of solid waste has been compounded by massive generation of construction and demolition debris.

Three of the four landfills for solid waste have already exhausted their lifespan. Since Delhi has only one plant to process construction debris at Jahangir Puri — the plant deals with 500 tonnes every day — a lot of it reaches landfills without any processing. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Schools in Mumbai recycle tetra pack boxes

MUMBAI: Students from Valmiki Eco-School, Goregaon and Vikas Vidyalaya School met at the Sahakari Bhandar store at Prabhadevi for a function organised by RUR (Reducing Reusing Recyling) Greenlife Pvt Ltd to celebrate their Donate Desk programme that enables the distribution of 65 recycled desks from tetra pack cartons. 

Six layers of the Tetra Pak cartons, that comprised 70% paper, 20% plastic and 10% metal, were cleaned and flattened; later they are pulverised. That material was then converted into paper and paper products. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

‘Plastic waste disposal turning a serious problem’

HYDERABAD : Deployment of proper plastic waste management techniques is vital, according to Indrajit Pal, Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India.

Renewed efforts: Indrajit Pal (left), Secretary, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, and S. K. Nayak, Director-General of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, at the technical seminar on Plastics Recycling and Waste Management in Hyderabad on Monday . — P.V. Sivakumar

Speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on plastic recycling and waste management here on Monday, Pal said the quantum of plastic waste is increasing and its disposal had become a serious problem. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Assam: Govt Seeks Industry Support for Water Project

Funds to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore have been allocated under various schemes for water projects here and the state government has sought participation of industry bodies for implementation of such schemes.

Assam Commissioner and Secretary Finance Ashish Kumar Bhutani said, the total fund allocated for Guwahati city water projects is Rs 3,000 crore. Read more

Source : news.outlookindia.com

Palike ready for biomining waste, but awaits govt nod

Bangalore : The project is designed to retrieve all recoverable recyclable material

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is waiting for the green signal from the State government for kickstarting the biomining project at six places in the City. 

With biomining technology, the unprocessed municipal solid waste at Mandur (North), Mandur (South), Chimmasandra, Mavallipura, S Bingipura, Anjanapura and Kannahalli landfill sites will be processed. The technology will employ a suitable mechanical sieving machine or any other equipment. Read more

Source : www.deccanherald.com

Shortage of staff hits Solid Waste Management Scheme at Vellore

A shortage of personnel has affected the Solid Waste Management Scheme (SWMS) undertaken by the Vellore Corporation. The Scheme has been functioning since January 2000, before Vellore was upgraded to a Corporation. Since a majority of the workforce is used to collect garbage, only a few hands are available to attend to the recycling process.

waste to wealth: The compost yard in Katpadi where fertilisers are prepared from garbage Express

 

Vellore Corporation generates around 180 tonnes of waste per day, including 3 tonnes from fish markets, 19 tonnes from vegetable markets, 2 tonnes from slaughterhouses, 12 from commercial areas, 41 from the roadside and 104 tonnes from door-to-door collection. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

Recycling urban sewage answer to water woes: Experts

New Delhi (IANS) : Recycling sewage for human use is the solution for depleting water in rivers and lakes, and rising domestic and industrial waste in Indian cities and towns, said participants at a seminar here Monday.

The two-day seminar on urban India's water supply and waste management challenges - 'Excreta Does Matter' - has been organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) as part of the second Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2013. Read more

Source : www.newstrackindia.com

A year in the life of a law

Electrical and electronic goods have made their presence ubiquitous.

Right from the morning toast to the laptop during the day and the television in the evening, their presence cuts across time, space and socio-economic strata. It is a testimony to the spread of electronic goods that the snake charmer in the stereotypical image of the Indian society has a mobile phone. Read more

Source : www.waste-management-world.com

Threat of hazardous waste to Mother Nature

"With increase in generation and dumping of hazardous wastes in the country, environmental protection seems to have taken a backseat. Adverse health impacts, deteriorating soil, fading ecology, etc., indicate that it is time to take a tough stand on the export of hazardous waste. 

Environmental protection has become a major concern these days, thanks to the various hazardous activities carried out mainly by industries. In India, haphazard dumping of harmful and dangerous substances/wastes have become very common. This not only results in severe environmental damage but also affects the lives of several organisms and their supporting systems. Rapid growth of industries in India has resulted in the generation of an increasing volume of hazardous wastes. Both indigenously generated and imported from other countries for recycling or reprocessing, need scientific treatment and disposal. However, only a few secured landfill sites are available in the country for disposal of hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner. Read more

Source : www.waste-management-world.com

E-waste, a growing concern for India!

Even as India is trying to devise environmental friendly ways to dispose garbage, the specter of Electronical-waste (E-waste) destroying the balance of the nation’s ecological health has already started looming over. More worrying is the absence of a regulatory framework to dispose or recycle e-waste further compounded by a lack of general awareness. 

According to a report named “E-waste in India” by Rajya Sabha Secretariat, E-waste from old computers would jump by 400 per cent on 2007 levels in China and by 500 per cent in India by 2020. In addition, E-waste from discarded mobile phones would be about seven times higher than 2007 levels and, in India, 18 times higher by 2020. Such predictions highlight the urgent need to address the problem of E-waste in developing countries like India where the collection and management of E-waste and the recycling process is yet to be properly regulated. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has culled this data from a report called “E-waste a growing problem for China and India” by Computing, a UK based business technology publication. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

India in dire need of e-waste segregation, management services: ESR Gopal

NAGPUR: One kind of waste that human beings have failed to deal with until now is electronic waste. Despite the fact that this waste is actually a treasure trove of expensive metals, like gold and platinum, among others, not much is done by way of recycling it.

Sustainable e-waste management can gain momentum if this industry is encouraged to grow further.

Talking about the electronic nose, a sensory device to detect smells, being developed by city-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) and Kolkata-based Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, professor emeritus in Bangalore's Indian Institute of Science ESR Gopal spoke about the need of an e-waste sensor. He also stressed the need for proper disposal of ewaste by taking out recyclable metals and separating them, giving the example of India's Silicon City Bangalore as a city that is in dire need of such a service. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Garbage wake-up call in Bangalore sounded loud & clear

BANGALORE: Starting today, Bangalore will celebrate waste, art from waste, understand what can be done to rid the city of garbage and reclaim the glory of Garden City. 'Wake Up Clean Up Bangalore' at Freedom Park will see a host of events and stakeholders interacting to understand why and how waste should be reduced, recycled and reused.

On all seven days of the fair, there will be Power Breakfasts where a civic expert, solid waste management activist or expert or administrator will make a presentation and engage participants in discussions. The programmes are scheduled in such a way that every day, each section of waste generators can be trained to manage waste. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Students give garbage lessons to Bangalore civic body

BANGALORE: Imagine somebody knocking at your door and asking you to donate dry waste. That is exactly what students of Vasavi Vidya Niketan (VVN) College, Vani Vilas Road, VV Puram, are doing and asking residents in their neighbourhood of Basavanagudi to give them waste.

Understandably, the request from the students of the prestigious women's college is eliciting tremendous response in a city where garbage is a fortnightly crisis. Collecting a minimum of one tonne of dry waste every fortnight, the students are recycling it and contributing immensely to reducing the load that goes to the landfills. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Better planning to avert impending water crisis must

Pune : By 2017, 44.5 lakh people are projected to be living within Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits as 28 villages will be merged in it. Experts suggest that meeting water needs of its populace will probably be the biggest challenge before the PMC.

Currently, all the four dams – Temghar, Warasgaon, Panshet and Khadakwasla – have a combined capacity of 29.14 TMC to supply water to the city and neighbouring talukas. To meet the impending water crisis, immediate measures like recycling and tapping the water leakages are needed. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

Now a startup that resolves water scarcity in urban areas

India, one of the fastest growing populations in the world, is facing a problem of perennial water shortage. According to a study by the Bombay Community Public Trust, the average water requirement for a person living in Mumbai is 135 litres per day. In comparison, an entire household living in the slums in Mumbai has to make do with just 25 litres of water per day. The relatively affluent in livable areas in the city don’t do a lot better either.

The question is-How long can a city like Mumbai sustain such an acute shortage of water? Reuters

This huge gap can be attributed to the fact that millions of people migrate to the cities in search of jobs. Read more

Source : www.firstpost.com

Rural waste management begins in Gurgaon

GURGAON: Villages in Gurgaon district will be cleaner from now. The administration has begun the task of waste management in rural areas on the pattern of urban Gurgaon under " Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan" (NBA).

The household garbage collected would be taken and segregated to separate the recyclable and biodegradable from the rest. Special sheds have been erected for this purpose in villages and a pilot project has been launched in Mubarikpur village. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Waste Management and Recycling India 2013 Conference Set for April

Exhibition will provide a meeting place for businesses interested in capitalizing on India's waste management and recycling markets.

Waste Management and Recycling India will be held from 8-10 April 2013 at India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida Expressway, Delhi, India.

The conference is being organized by Inter Ads-Brooks Exhibitions of India in partnership with Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd. of the U.K. Read more

Source : www.recyclingtoday.com

Water treatment plant of North Western Railways inaugurated

JODHPUR: The North Western Railways' (NWR) first Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) for washing of coaches was inaugurated in Jodhpur on Saturday by its general manager. This ETP will not only save on the huge expenses of the railways incurred on water but also will address the shortage of water in summer. 

"We have a current requirement of 1,13,332 kilo liter per year, which costs us a whopping Rs 15,34,522. Now with this plant, we will be able to bring this expenditure down by approximately 80% which would mean a saving of Rs 12,27,618," NWR general manager R C Agarwal said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Welcome to Waste Management World

Moving toward lesser garbage on city streets; Nobody said it was easy. But the silver lining to all this mess is that Bangalore will finally set up a system of solid waste management; something that should have been done at least nine years ago

Protests by villagers of Mavallipura, the pourakarmika strike and the current garbage crisis in the city, is in all likelihood a blessing in disguise. Although the mess is difficult to live with, thanks to it, the city corporation has at least begun initiating a system of solid waste management that does not depend on simply dumping garbage in landfills. Read more

Source : www.waste-management-world.com

Japan to fund sewage water recycling plant

HYDERABAD: Pushed to the brink with receding water levels in reservoirs and depleting ground water, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has decided to recycle sewage water and supply it to industries. Faced with severe water crisis, the board members heaved a sigh of relief after the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agreed to fund a recycling water project, known as "Waste to Wealth," a senior official said.

The Water Board has three major sewerage treatment plants (STPs) located at Amberpet, Nagole and Nallacheruvu in the city. The total storage capacity of these STPs is 541 million litres per day, with the one in Amberpet being Asia's largest. "The Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) gave us clearance to set up a recycling water project with JICA funding," HMWS&SB director , (projects), M Satyanarayana told STOI. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India’s Dharavi Recycling Slumdog Entrepreneurs

For the past three decades, there has been a transformation of the recycling psyches that has been experienced across the globe. New consumerism heaped atop rapid urbanisation and population growth has left municipalities with overarching concerns regarding waste management. For this reason, recycling has become a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry and is set to increase as our consumer culture continues to accelerate.

In the West, we recycle because of our understanding that in doing so, it is essential for conserving the planet’s resources. However, for some of the poorest people in the developing world, recycling often isn’t a choice, but a necessity of life. Read more

Source : sustainablebusinessforum.com

Yamuna in Delhi carries drains not water: SC

New Delhi : "It is a sorry state of affairs," the Supreme Court remarked today over failure of the project to clean Yamuna despite over Rs.12,000 crore being spent on it and suggested that the routing drainages of NCR region to a place outside Delhi be explored to stop release of waste in the river.

Observing that Yamuna in Delhi carries not water but drains, a bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Madan B Lokur rapped the government authorities for not being able to clean the river despite spending thousands of crore of common man's money. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Alang Ship Recycling Yard turns into an unlikely shopping destination for bargain hunters and collectors

The 50-km drive from the district centre of Bhavnagar to the maritime graveyard at the AlangSosiya Ship Recycling Yard is bumpy and unpleasant. But for a few years now, this road has witnessed a growing stream of bargain hunters from all over India on an unlikely shopping expedition.

When a ship dies, it doesn't receive a dignified burial. It is taken apart to the every last valuable ounce of metal, and recycled. The process entails consequences to the environment. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Treated water, next option to quench Bangalore’s thirst

Bangalore : Treated water may well be the last resort to quench the City’s thirst, if indications from the Bangalore Water Supply Sewerage Board are to be believed. 

BWSSB and Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar has said that the Board is contemplating a Singapore-model project to treat water to meet the water crisis in the City. Read more

Source : www.deccanherald.com

Bangalore to be the first Indian city to segregate waste at source

"Taking into careful consideration both short-term and long-term objectives to resolve the prevailing crisis of waste management in Bangalore, The Karnataka High Court issued a highly progressive judgement where it has directed that all municipal waste in Bangalore be segregated at source (at the household level) and the segregated waste be transported in that manner to composting and recycling units and no mixing whatsoever will take place in trucks, as is the case at present."

Here is a good news for the urban dwellers of Bangalore, who are not happy with city’s waste management system. The Principal Bench of the Karnataka High Court, comprising Chief Justice Mr. Vikramjit Sen and Justice Mrs. B. V. Nagarathna, has issued a series of unprecedented directions on November 22, 2012, to give effect to a system of progressive handling and management of municipal solid waste generated in Bangalore. Read more

Source : hotnhitnews.com

Wipro claims top spot on latest Greenpeace 'greener electronics' list

The Indian technology firm scored high marks for its efforts to use renewable energy and for its advocacy of sustainable business policy across its home country.

(Graphic courtesy of Greenpeace)

This is the first time that Indian high-tech giant Wipro has been included on the international version of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics (it has been on local versions) -- and it already has managed to knock a U.S. company out of the top spot.

The guide focuses on companies that produce everything from mobile phones to tablets to personal computers - high-functioning gadgets that Greenpeace believes are contributing to climate change. The ranking measures many different criteria including the carbon footprint produced by a company's supply chain, the toxic materials contained in their products, use of renewable energy, emissions reductions commitments, and product recycling or refurbishment policies. Read more

Source : www.zdnet.com

Garbage fire chokes residents of Kodungaiyur

CHENNAI: The corporation had put up CCTV cameras around the Kodungaiyur dump yard to monitor and prevent rag pickers from entering the yard and setting fire to garbage, but the gadgets seem to be of no use. Residents had a tough time on Saturday after a fire broke out at the dump yard, covering the neighbourhood of one lakh families in smoke. Corporation officials said rag pickers set fire to collect recyclable waste from garbage. "Once the fire dies down, they collect metal scrap. Necessary action have been taken to stop the fire," said a corporation official. 

In a recent study, the presence of carcinogens was found in air samples from Kodungaiyur dump yard. Perambur MLA A Soundararajan, who is a resident of Kodungaiyur, said his party (CPM) will organise agitations demanding the corporation's intervention. "We have been facing severe problems because of the mounting garbage. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Landfills continue to pollute vicinities in Bangalore

Bangalore : Study shows high leachate levels remain untreated 

The haphazard dumping of garbage at various landfills outside the City has taken a toll on the health of residents in surrounding villages. 

Leachate, a toxic fluid which is often discharged from decomposing urban organic waste has been responsible for the contamination of both groundwater and surface water in areas around the dumping grounds. Read more

Source : www.deccanherald.com

Green classrooms

In order to sensitise students about the importance of waste management and recycling,The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Tetra Pak India have launched an initiative - 'Cartons to Classrooms.' "The focus of this initiative is to sensitise the youth about waste management.We do that by making the students aware of the four 'R's - refuse,reuse,reduce and recycle.When it comes to recycling,people have limited knowledge and so,through this initiative,we want to reach out to students and through students to the communities and make them aware of the recycling of tetra pak," says Ranjana Saikia,director,educating youth for sustainable development,TERI.

Students in the age group of 10-18 years will be participating in the initiative,which is a part of Project Search."It is the right age for students to imbibe a good habit.Students at this age have the maximum energy and through them,we can reach out to the larger audience," points out Saikia.This project has been undertaken in Bangalore and will expand to Mumbai,Pune and Hyderabad. Read more

Source : www.waste-management-world.com

At 17, passionate about renewing and reusing

BANGALORE: "I've seen the city change greatly in the past few years," says Pranav Raghav Sood. "It used to be lot greener, with better weather and lots of rain," he adds, with the conviction that something needs to be done immediately.

No, it isn't an old Bangalorean, with roots dating back to the days of the Raj, lashing out against the modernization of the once-sleepy cantonment town. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

SWaCH spreads the word on e-waste

PUNE: SWaCH cooperative is implementing a project in the city to create awareness regarding e-waste among schoolchildren and their eco-club teachers.

The cooperative will conduct several activities and also collect e-waste from schools and colleges and send it to recyclers authorised by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Norms for sewage treatment by civic bodies tightened

PUNE: The central government has drafted stringent guidelines for sewage treatment, reuse and recycling of waste water, energy recovery from sludge and preparation of city sanitation plans. The civic bodies will have to follow these guidelines while planning city projects. 

The press statement issued by the central government states that a two-day workshop on 'Finalization of Revised and Updated Manual on Sewerage and Sewage Treatment (Part-A: Engineering)' was organized by the ministry of urban development in New Delhi recently. The workshop was attended by civic officials from across the states and experts in the field. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Most cities lack basic infrastructure facilities, says SPA director

VIJAYAWADA : “Students being trained in ‘zero waste city’ and vertical farming concepts”

School of Planning and Architecture Director Shovan K. Saha (left) with Chairman of IEI D. Rama Krishna at a programme on the occasion of “World Habitat Day – 2012” in Vijayawada on Monday. Photo: V.Raju

There are 8,000 cities in the country and 6,000 of them lack master plan and structured development, said School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) director Shovan K. Saha. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com