Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Yamuna pollution: Supreme Court seeks report on sewage treatment plants

After 22 years of Supreme Court monitoring and spending around Rs 4,439 crore, Yamuna continues to stink like a sewer in Delhi but the Court decided on Monday to act tough against the authorities entrusted the task to clean the river and sought a comprehensive report from city Jal Board on operation of interceptor sewage projects(ISP) and sewage treatment plants (STP) .

A bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar... Read more..

NTPC to train discom officials to make IPDS more effective

State-run NTPC's Power Management Institute will soon impart training to state discom staff across the country for capacity building under the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS).

The IPDS' objective is 24x7 power supply for consumers and reduction of AT&C losses.

The Budget 2017 has provided Rs... Read more..

Nordic envoys to India begin week-long tour to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry

Nordic Ambassadors to India, representing Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden begin their one-week tour to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry this week. The ambassadors will arrive in Chennai on 20th Feb, where meetings with Nordic businesses, journalists, educational institutions and government representatives will be held.

With total investments of around USD 20 billion and more than 500 Nordic companies... Read more..

Forest department of Maharashtra to factor in climate change

Officials of the forest department will, for the first time, incorporate points from the Maharashtra State Adaptation Action Plan on Climate Change (MSAAPCC) into their functioning.

The decision was taken during a recent workshop aimed to acquaint forest and environment department officials with the effects of climate change.

... Read more..

Andhra Pradesh government to make available LED tube lights to consumers

In another initiative pertaining to promotion of Energy Efficiency, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to make available the most energy efficient LED Tube Lights at affordable prices to the common Consumers through the counters to be set up at various locations in the State.

Principal Secretary of Energy department and the Vice Chairman of A P State Energy Conservation Mission, Ajay Jain said Chief... Read more..

Sikkim commissions India’s 2nd largest hydro power project

In a landmark development for Sikkim, the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III power project has been commissioned from Friday.

While announcing Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling said, “We are no more a consumer state, rather we have moved on to being a producer state.” He further mentioned that Sikkim has always moved forward into pro-growth development and the basic focus has always been qualitative development. “This historic... Read more..

Members of Parliament told to contribute for solar electrification of villages

All Members of Parliament have been asked to contribute through their MPLADS fund towards providing street lights in rural areas of the country powered by solar energy. A directive in this regard has been issued to members of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. The contribution has to be made from MPLADS (MPs’ Local Area Development scheme), it said. The move is in keeping with the government’s emphasis on the maximum use of new and renewable energy which includes solar energy and less dependence on fossil fuels... Read more..

Delhi, Patna among cities with highest air pollution: study

A study recently released by 48 leading scientists has placed two Indian cities — New Delhi and Patna — among the worst polluted in the world with high PM 2.5 levels or the fine particulate matter that affects the body the most. Published in medical journal The Lancet, the study claims that over a million Indians die every year due to air pollution. The smog over northern India is extracting a heavy toll, every minute two lives are lost in India due to ambient air pollution, the study says.... Read more..

Wind power installations may cross 5,000 MW this year

Sarvesh Kumark, Chairman of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association, is confident that wind power installations in India will cross the 5,000-MW-mark. The previous high was 3,472 MW of fresh capacity set up in 2015-16.

The Association’s General Secretary, D V Giri, is a shade less optimistic. While 5,000 MW is not impossible, he says, upwards of 4,500 MW is certain.
 

... Read more..

Odisha capital city Bhubaneswar readies steps to address e-waste burden

After solid waste management, it is now e-waste as the No. 1 Smart City and Temple City is coming under the ambitious Eco-Cities programme, in which, efficient and scientific handling of e-waste management will be a top priority.

Already an IFC team with international e-waste expert Dr. Berno Kopacek is in city to look at the facilities for collection and dismantling of e-wastes in and around the Capital... Read more..

Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to replace 48,000 conventional street lights with LEDs

The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, and Energy Efficient Services Ltd (EESL) on Saturday signed agreements on replacement of 48,000 existing conventional street lights with LED street lights in Chandigarh and the preparation of Investment Grade Energy Audit (IGEA) report for energy efficiency in public water works, tubewells, sewerage treatment plants and pumping stations in the presence of Chandigarh Mayor Asha Jaswal.

... Read more..

Telangana government mulls 50 % subsidy on solar powered cold storage facilities

To facilitate farmers store their horticulture produce for longer period, the Telangana government is considering provision of 50 % subsidy  on ‘solar powered cold storage’ with the help of Central government assistance under MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture).

According to officials, as part of its pilot project to help farmers store their horticulture produce including fruits and... Read more..