Sustainability Outlook Headlines

NGT shuts 13 polluting industries along Ganga channel

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed 13 polluting industries situated along tributary or major drain of the Ganga river to be shut down.

The tribunal bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar gave directions following a report by a high-level committee that inspected the 13 industries dealing in various products, including chemicals and a power plant.

... Read more..

Jamun used to make low-cost solar cells

Plucking and feasting on fresh, delectable jamuns is a favourite childhood pastime during summer months, but scientists at IIT Roorkee have found a novel use for the juicy Indian fruit – making inexpensive solar cells. Researchers used naturally occurring pigment found in jamun as an inexpensive photosensitiser for Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSCs) or Gratzel cells.

Gratzel cells are thin film solar cells... Read more..

Natural dye garden promotes a greener fashion supply chain

College of Human Ecology faculty and student efforts to develop sustainable approaches to textile and fashion design has led to the development of the Cornell Natural Dye Garden after a successful crowdfunding campaign that ended in fall 2016.

The project raised $10,365 for the development and cultivation of a dye garden, which will produce a variety of colors that come from the natural world and have a... Read more..

Keen to collaborate with Maharashtra on climate issues: Swedish minister

Swedish deputy minister on climate Eva Svedling on Tuesday said her country was keen on collaborating with Maharashtra on issues concerning waste management, smart cities, and renewable energy.

“I exchanged views with both the governments, at the Centre and in the State, on global climate change efforts, ongoing international negotiations, and the potential for bilateral cooperation,” Ms. Svedling, who is... Read more..

Telangana to provide big push for rooftop solar projects

The Telangana Government is seeking to provide major impetus for setting up of the rooftop solar systems in the State for domestic and commercial establishments.

Ajay Mishra, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Energy, Telangana, today said this was the right time to set up solar rooftop systems and harness the potential of the solar power and save on energy costs.

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Uma Bharati reaches out to NGT over Mission Ganga

With the National Green Tribunal slamming the Centre every few days over the poor progress on Ganga clean-up, the Uma Bharati led National Mission on Clean Ganga (NMCG) is learnt to be making a direct outreach to the Tribunal to 'sensitise' it to the Ganga mission, its timelines and the constraints holding it back.

The move comes at a time when the NGT has been making strong observations against the... Read more..

Orient Cement joins Cement Sustainability Initiative

CK Birla Group’s Orient Cement Ltd has joined the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI). The CSI is a voluntary business initiative, operating under the auspices of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, that aims to push sustainable development in the cement sector.

According to a company press release, Orient Cement expects its membership of the initiative to help push its sustainability... Read more..

Plastic-eating wax worms may solve India’s plastic problem

A few years ago when the Supreme Court heard of the status of plastic pollution in India the bench remarked “We are sitting on a plastic time bomb.”

Not much has changes in the recent years. A 2015 Central Pollution Control Board survey found that 60 of India’s major cities generated 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day. Of the waste that is collected an overwhelming amount of waste is neither recycled... Read more..

Gujarat power regulator’s decision forces wind power firms, discoms to make an unhappy truce

The Gujarat power regulator's decision to make February auction's all-time low winning bid as the base price for wind power purchases has forced developers and power distribution companies in Gujarat make an unhappy truce, but it sets stage for further trouble in the fledgling sector.

In a similar case in Andhra Pradesh, the state's power regulator took a contrary position. Ignoring the wind auction, it set... Read more..

Modi government plans major policy push to promote e-vehicles

India will soon embark on an ambitious programme aimed at switching most, if not all, of its vehicles to battery power by 2030. In an audacious move worthy of Elon Musk, the key to the plan's success will be the eschewing of subsidies driven by a battery leasing strategy. The scheme, which kicks off in the next few months, includes limited tax breaks for manufacturers and the sale of vehicles without batteries to improve affordability, said a senior government official with knowledge of the plan.... Read more..

Vestas to increase Ahmadabad plant's capacity to 600 MW

Wind power solutions provider Vestas will ramp up its equipment manufacturing capacity at Ahmadabad plant to 600 MW in 2-3 years from existing 200 MW to get a bigger share of over 5,000 MW annual market in India.

"We will increase our equipment manufacturing capacity from around 200 MW to 600 MW in next 2-3 years mainly due to encouraging policy initiatives by the government," Vestas Director, Marketing... Read more..

Supreme Court asks NGT to monitor work to clean the Yamuna

After monitoring government efforts to clean the Yamuna for over two decades, the Supreme Court decided on Monday to entrust the task to National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clean the river which has become more polluted over the years.

The apex court had taken a suo motu cognisance in 1994 on the news report on pollution in Yamuna in Delhi and it has been since then overseeing the steps taken by Centre, UP, NCT... Read more..