Closure of Sterlite Copper turns India into a net importer of refined copper

The closure of Vedanta Ltd’s Tuticorin copper smelter in May 2018 has turned India into a net importer of refined copper, according to newly released government data. While India was a net exporter of refined copper to the extent of 3.34 lakh tonnes in the year ended March 2018 (prior to the shut down); the […]

FOREIGN AID: 2,742 NGOs lose FCRA clearance in 3 years

Government of India has canceled or suspended the eligibility of thousands of non-government organizations to receive foreign aid in recent years, according to data from the ministry of home affairs, Government of India. The biggest cull came in 2019, when it removed 2,171 NGOs from the list of organizations eligible to receive funds from abroad. […]

Indian coal plants unlikely to meet pollution norms: CSE

A new study report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) finds that almost 70 per cent of India’s coal-fired power plants will not meet revised emission standards that come into effect in two years. The norms were set in December 2015 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). “Even after seven […]

India hopeful of signing nuclear plant deal with Westinghouse soon

India’s junior minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, today said the government was still hopeful of signing a deal to set up a massive, 7.2 GW nuclear power plant in partnership with US-based Westinghouse Electric. Singh, who was responding to a question in the parliament today, said Westinghouse’s bankruptcy delayed proceedings, but […]

Nila Infra gets first contract from Dholera Industrial City

Construction major Nila Infrastructures Limited said it has received a contract to build a public services building for Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (Dholera ICDL) at a cost of Rs 46.21 cr. The building, to be constructed in the Dholera Special Investment Region (Dholera SIR), has to be completed in 545 days, and is the […]

Bangalore STTR will consume 11 ha of Bannergatta Park- Union Govt

The ministry of environment, forest and climate change said it has issued detailed ‘terms of reference’ or ToR for the upcoming Satellite Town Ring Road or STTR connecting towns around Bangalore. There has been a lot of controversy over the impact of the 180 km road — which will connect surrounding areas like Krishnagiri, Hosur, […]

India misses FY19 Solar Power target by 58%

India has missed its solar power target by a whopping 58% in the year gone by, according to the latest numbers from the ministry of renewable energy or MNRE. India was supposed to add about 16,000 megawatt (16 gigawatt) of fresh solar power generation capacity in the year ended March 2019. However, it added only […]

North Indian states rapidly running out of water: Govt study

A study by the Central Ground Water Board has revealed that India’s Ganga-Yamuna plain is rapidly running out of ground water. Despite isolated cases like that of Chennai and Bangalore, the study also revealed that other areas of the country, including the east and the south, are better placed as far as ground water depletion […]

Solar power sector sees revival in Feb after downturn due to duties

Solar auction activities garnered speed in February after a disappointing performance in January, according to Mercom India, an agency that tracks the solar power sector in India. About 2.7 GW of solar power was auctioned in February, which is 800 MW more than what was auctioned in the same month last year, the firm said. […]

BHEL starts rolling out solar EV chargers along Delhi-Chandigarh highway

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, which makes heavy electrical equipment, said has started rolling out a network of electric vehicle charges on the Delhi-Chandigarh Highway. The first such charger was inaugurated today at Ethnic India Resort in Rai in Sonepat district of Haryana. The chargers will be powered entirely by solar technology and will cover entire […]

BS-VI to hurt sales of diesel cars, boost electric vehicles – M&M

The introduction of BS-VI fuel standard a year from now is expected to make small diesel engines too expensive to be of practical use and push the market for smaller vehicles towards petrol, CNG and electric vehicles, automaker Mahindra & Mahindra said. Managing Director Pawan Goenka said the share of diesel engines in cars has […]

BS-VI switchover could bring mega deals for consumers

Consumers planning to purchase a vehicle towards the end of this year may consider postponing their purchase as automakers may offer big discounts in February and March in an attempt to flush out old stock ahead of the shift to BS-VI fuel standards. According to a judgement by the Supreme Court, no automaker can sell […]

IMT Ghaziabad students win Rs 70 lakh in PepsiCo sustainability contest

Two students from IMT Ghaziabad won nearly Rs 70 lakh at in a sustainability-themed contest organized by PepsiCo. Tushar Vishnoi and Utkarsh Garg won $100,000 for their low-cost, plastic waste management machine that can process 50 kg of plastic waste per day. The plastic recovered in the process can be used in numerous applications that […]

NTPC offers 4-year deal to green entrepreneurs for agri-waste supply

NTPC, India’s largest power producer by far, has invited expressions of interest worth thousands of crores of rupees for the supply of agricultural waste to 21 power plants across the country. NTPC will give a four-year assured off-take commitment. The proposals, invited on Dec 26, can potentially be a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs willing to […]

Maruti Suzuki’s electric vehicles hit Indian roads for testing

Suzuki, the Japan-based parent of India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki, has started real-life testing of electric vehicles in India. The company had, in September, promised to bring 50 units of its electric vehicles to India for conducting tests in real life conditions. “This extensive real-life usage of the vehicles in multiple terrains and climatic conditions […]

India says WhatsApp giving ‘good response’ on monitoring proposal

Ravi Shankar Prasad, India’s minister for law and information technology, said the government has got ‘good response’ from WhatsApp for its proposal to install a monitoring mechanism on the platform. The government has been pushing WhatsApp to put up a monitoring mechanism that would send out alerts when messages on any one subject starts going […]

Delhi Tree Cutting: NGT steps in, issues notice to center

The National Green Tribunal, India’s top most environmental court, has issued notices to the central government, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Delhi Development authority in a case filed by an NGO against the move to cut about 15,000 trees in residential areas. The issuing of notice indicates that the tribunal is seized of […]