Sustainability Outlook Headlines

NITI Aayog may seek Cabinet nod for electronic manufacturing policy

NITI Aayog is likely to seek Union Cabinet approval in a fortnight for a long-term policy to boost manufacturing of electronic products, which will provide a host of incentives like tax holiday to attract investment.

“NITI Aayog has almost finalised a policy for encouraging manufacturing of electronics in the country, which is likely to be placed before the Union Cabinet for its approval,” a source said.... Read more..

Wind energy generation reaches record high in Tamil Nadu

Wind power consumption in Tamil Nadu has reached a record high. Since May 15, when the wind power season started, the state has consumed 6,087 lakh million units, which is several times more than the wind power consumption in 2014 and 2015. On an average, about 22% of the power requirement in the state over the past three months has been met by wind energy.

Due to commissioning of transmission lines as part... Read more..

Hyderabad’s deadly PM10 pollutant particles level still high

A decade of measures to reduce pollution by building flyovers to ease traffic congestion, introducing MMTS services to take vehicles off the road and ensuring supply of clean fuel have failed to have much of an impact in particulate matter pollution in the city.  

A study published recently by scientists from the Telangana state and the AP Pollution Control Board and a faculty of environmental sciences... Read more..

Sri Sri’s World Culture Festival destroyed Yamuna floodplains: Green Tribunal’s panel

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living Foundation may plead innocence to the charges of damaging the Yamuna floodplains, but the National Green Tribunal’s Principle Committee isn’t buying it.

The Committee, headed by Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, told the green court that the Foundation’s World Culture Festival “has completely destroyed, not... Read more..

SECI to float tenders for 1,000 MW wind power projects

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will float tenders for setting up wind projects with cumulative capacity of 1,000 MW to supply power to non-windy states.

"SECI will float tenders for total wind power capacity of 1,000 MW. This will be tariff based competitive bidding and will be awarded to bidders quoting lowest price (power tariff) bid," a senior official said.

... Read more..

Indian Oil Corporation Largest sewage plant at Mathura to help clean Yamuna

India’s largest sewage treatment plant will be set up at Mathura to purify sewage from the town and neighbouring Vrindavan and put the treated water at use at Indian Oil Corp’s (IOC) Mathura refinery.

Foundation for the sewage treatment plant was laid at a function at Mathura. The plant will cost of Rs 40 crore, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) said in a statement.

... Read more..

Poor air quality across 41 cities in 2015, says CPCB survey

While the worsening air pollution in the country's metro cities has been under scrutiny of courts and Centre, the air quality across tier-II or million plus cities is equally bad. People in 41 Indian cities with a million plus cities breathed bad quality air during 58% of the days monitoring was carried out in 2015, a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) study said. CPCB monitored air quality at a total of 205 monitoring stations. Days when the air quality exceeded pollution norms were categorized as 'bad... Read more..

Companies opt for conservation, buy treated water from municipal corporations

Several government and private firms, mainly in the power sector, are increasingly buying treated water, making it a significant revenue source for municipal corporations across states, from Nagpur to Mathura.

Maharashtra State Power Generation Company, Essar, Larsen & Toubro and KEC International are already either buying treated water or going for rainwater harvesting to conserve the depleting natural... Read more..

Ludhiana municipal corporation's solid waste management project in limbo

The much hyped project of the municipal corporation (MC) to deal with solid waste with the help of three static compactors faces apathy of the authorities. The deadline of August 15 has almost arrived but the civic body authorities have failed to complete the civil work at Dugri garbage dump where the compactor is to be installed.

The two compactors are lying unused at MC storage facility near its Zone D... Read more..

Case against CSTPS for polluting Irai river

Durgapur police have registered a criminal offence against the management of Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) for discharging acidic water into Irai river. This is the first time a criminal offence has been registered against CSTPS management for discharge of toxic effluents into the water body.

The offence was registered late on Wednesday night following directives issued by guardian minister... Read more..

New authority proposed for action against industrial units polluting Ganga

Union Water Resources Ministry has proposed to set up a statutory authority to take action against those industrial units which pollute the Ganga river and its tributaries. Currently, only the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) can take action against such industrial units. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti also said a “good news” is expected in the next 15 days in connection with the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project, which is stuck “for eight months” for want of environmental clearances... Read more..