Sustainability Outlook Headlines

CPCB extends deadline for installation of online pollution tracking devices in Delhi-NCR

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has pushed back its deadline for red-category air polluting industries in Delhi-NCR districts to instal online pollution tracking devices to June 30, almost two months after the original March 31 deadline.

In a letter issued to state pollution control boards of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the national pollution watchdog stated that it had extended... Read more..

UGC directs universities to ban plastic bottles on campus

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all universities and higher educational institutions to ban the use of plastic cups, lunch packets, straws, bottles and bags on their campuses.

The directive comes after the Environment Ministry issued an advisory, saying that India is the host of this year’s World Environment Day celebrations, the largest United Nations-led event on environment, and the... Read more..

Amethi to get solar-powered street lights

As many as 1,700 solar-powered lights will be installed at street-corners and parks in Amethi, the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, using the MP Local Development (MPLAD) fund, a party leader said today.

According to District Congress Committee president Yogendra Mishra, the lights will be installed soon and necessary directions have been issued to the authorities concerned to... Read more..

Andhra Pradesh promotes Electric Vehicles with fiscal sops

Andhra Pradesh has set a target of attracting Rs 30,000-crore investment in promoting electric vehicles in the next five years by giving fiscal incentives to carmakers, battery manufacturers, charging infrastructure companies and consumers.

The state Cabinet on Wednesday cleared an electric mobility policy that provides for complete reimbursement of road tax and registration fees on sale of electric vehicles... Read more..

Maharashtra utility to buy cheapest solar power in the country

Efforts of energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule to go for renewable energy are paying dividends with two private companies agreeing to supply MSEDCL the cheapest solar power in the country. Four other companies will supply solar power at a rate 1 paise per unit higher than the minimum rate. 

MSEDCL had floated tenders for purchasing 1,020 MW solar power from private producers. Two companies JLTM Energy... Read more..

African cities pledge to cut climate emissions to zero by 2050

Africa is sometimes better known for its vulnerability to climate change than its action on the problem - but a set of African cities intend to change that. 

Eight cities - from Accra to Dar es Salaam - pledged this week to deliver their share of emissions cuts needed to meet Paris Agreement targets to limit climate change. 

... Read more..

NUS researchers turns food scraps into green energy resources

The researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a anaerobic digester system to recycle food waste to produce electricity, heat and fertilisers.

Led by Associate Professor Tong Yen Wah from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NUS Faculty of Engineering, researchers from NUS and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have jointly developed a system that is self-... Read more..

ACME wins 250 Mw solar power project under MSEDCL tender

ACME Group today announced it has won a 250 Megawatt (Mw) Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) project in a reverse auction invited by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co (MSEDCL) on 14 May 2018. 

The total capacity allotted under the reverse auction was 1,000 Mw under Build Own and Operate (BOO) model where the successful developer can set up the solar project anywhere in India and supply power to MSEDCL... Read more..

Devan Chemicals unveils Moov&Cool technology

Textile finishing expert, Devan Chemicals, has unveiled new Moov&Cool technology. Detailed as a 'cool comfort technology', the innovation has the potential to improve athletic performances by regulating core body temperature. The technology leads to absorption of heat during performance and improvement of moisture management properties of the fabric. 

The patent-pending Moov&Cool is a multi-... Read more..

Centre proposes charging points for EVs every 3 km

The government proposes to set up charging stations for electric vehicles every three kilometres in cities with million-plus population and smart cities, and every 50 km on busy national highways.

It is likely to offer fiscal incentives and facilitate land from municipal authorities for those interested in setting up the infrastructure, which is a key requirement for the proliferation of electric vehicles.... Read more..

NGT slams Ganga Mission for failure to file compliance report

The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday rapped the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for not filing a compliance report on the steps taken by the Centre and the UP and Uttarakhand governments to clean the river Ganga in the stretch between Gomukh and Unnao.

A bench headed by acting NGT chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim said that despite its April 3 order to file an affidavit stating measures taken by... Read more..

Europe's bottled water producers seek to increase plastic recycling

Europe's bottled water producers set a goal on Tuesday of raising collection rates of plastic bottles to 90 per cent by 2025 from 60 per cent to improve recycling and cut pollution. 

"Our packaging today is part of the unacceptable phenomenon of littering alongside other discarded items," the European Federation of Bottled Waters said in a statement. 

... Read more..