Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

IIT Roorkee creates ‘low-cost’ fuel from algae

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Roorkee:

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have come up with a new method for production of biodiesel from microalgae (‘kai’ in indi), which they claim is low-cost and more effective.

Elaborating on the research, professor BR Gurjar, head of centre for transportation systems of the institute said, “Microalgae are considered to be one of the superior resources for production of biodiesel due to the species’ ability to produce higher biomass and accumulate more lipids, which are the target material for biodiesel production. To increase the rate of production and to make it cost-effective, we used heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae using low-cost organic carbon-based feedstock such as agro waste, molasses, municipal and industrial wastes. This resulted in an automotive quality in biodiesel production.”

The cost of feedstock and expense of operation are two crucial cost components in biodiesel production. The cost of feedstock alone accounts for about 60–70% of the total cost while the cost of the substrate is also a huge factor. The method employed by IIT Roorkee considerably reduces the cost of the substrate.

IIT Roorkee researchers used the algal-based crude glycerol in the production, which is a low-cost organic carbon source and the main byproduct of the biodiesel production process. Crude glycerol works as a media feedstock for cultivation of microalgae, thereby reducing the cost of the substrate to a negligible point.

Research showed that the use of crude glycerol enhanced the accumulation of the total lipid in the algal cells. Various analyses after the production of the fuel proved it was better in terms of quality and quantity. The fuel was also comparable to the existing vehicular fuel standards.

“The method used by the team is beneficial to the environment as there is no biodiversity loss attached to it. Moreover, it minimizes waste production by using materials like agro-waste and is able to produce an enhanced quantity and quality of biodiesel,” said Richa Katiyar, an associate in the research project.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bareilly News / by Tapan Susheel / TNN / November 03rd, 2017

Revered ‘Parijaat’ to have its clones

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

Wishes have no end and a mythical wish-granting tree should never die. More so if the tree is worshipped as a deity and believed to have roots in the Mahabharata.

Barabanki’s revered Parijaat will now have it clones grown in the same campus where the tree has existed for hundreds of years, attracting devotees from all over, in Kintoor village of the district. The objective is to keep the legacy of the tree alive after it’s dead and gone. NBRI would prepare clones of the tree through cuttings and tissue culture.

At least three clone-trees would be planted around the mother tree.

Besides, NBRI would also do a molecular study to find out the place of origin of the Barabanki tree. Parijaat (Adansonia digitata) is an exotic tree, an African specie with peculiar features. It’s a matter of study from where it reached Barabanki.

Though there is no written account of the tree’s history, it is believed the tree has existed from the days of Pandavas. It is said to have come out of the ‘samudra manthan’ (churning of ocean) and brought to earth by Arjun from the garden of Indra for his mother Kunti. It’s said after Kunti offered Parijaat’s flowers to Lord Shiva that Pandavas won the battle of Mahabharat.

Since it’s the age of the tree that has always intrigued scientists and forest officers efforts would be made to know how old the tree is through carbon dating. “We will ask BSIP (Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany) to study the age of the tree,” said senior principal scientist, NBRI, S K Tiwari.

Team of NBRI scientists including the director, Prof Sk Barik, visited the site of the tree on Friday. National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), a CSIR laboratory, has been treating the tree since February 2016 after forest department, that takes care of the tree, sought help from the laboratory.

Parijaat, said to be a wish-granting tree (kalpvriksha), draws devotees from far-off places all the year round. Due to sugary offerings made at the place, the tree was found infected with termites when NBRI visited the site in February last year. It also had fungal and bacterial infections.

NBRI had administered chemical treatment to the tree initially and recommended a microbial biopesticide (Bacillus based inoculants) to be applied on the trunk and leaves of the tree thrice in a year to keep it clean of infections. The institute also gave Bacillus packets to forest department.

“The base of the tree still seems affected and we have suggested ways to the forest department,” said the scientist. A medicated mud, mixed with fungicide and insecticide, would be put all around the tree upto one feet.

This would control degeneration from the bottom. While the aerial spray of disinfectants would continue to keep tree free of pests and fungi.

Besides, NBRI would also try to establish a link between the other age-old Parijaat trees reported in the state with that of Barabanki’ tree. “We got to know of old Parijaat trees in Basti and Sultanpur. Then these old trees are also present in NBRI campus and zoo. We will do molecular study to find out where the other trees have come from,” said the scientist.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / by Neha Shukla / TNN / May 05th, 2017

At flower show, Singh family springs 22-award surprise

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel

Lucknow:

Family of city based government employee Prashant Singh couldn’t have asked for more when they won 22 awards under various categories at the annual flower show organized at the Raj Bhavan.

The awardees included his two daughters, eight-year-old Prashasti and four-year-old Prashansa. Prashant, his wife Swati, mother Uma Singh and daughters bagged eight first prizes, three second and 11 third prizes. The daughters won eight awards for flowers decoration, dry flower decoration, petal rangoli, bouquet arrangement and plant photography.

Along with the award for best lawn, kitchen garden and window decoration, the family bagged first prize for flower rangoli, flower arrangement (imagination), bouquet decoration, dry flower arrangement and plant photography.

“We decorated the garden and developed four corners showcasing different seasons. For winters we used blue and white streamers, carved figures of children from potted plants and placed them on a swing made up of plants too. For window decoration, our theme was ‘Open window to nature’ and we used a variety of plants and flowers,” said Swati.

Talking about their love for gardening and nature, Swati said the hobby was passed on from her mother-in-law to her and now to the third generation. The family has been participating in the annual show for the past 12 years. Along with them, 902 others participated in total 45 categories and displayed their love for nature during the event.

Hundreds of citizens visited with family and friends, clicked selfies with beautiful flowers and also learned about plants that devour toxins and leave the environment cleaner to breathe.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Lucknow News / TNN / February 27th, 2017

Workshop on elephant management held in Agra

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel

Agra :

Over a hundred elephants march up and down the Amer fort in Jaipur every day carrying tourists. Many of these elephants have severe welfare issues and concerns stem mainly from lack of expert veterinary care and ignorance about elephant care and management by local elephant care takers in Jaipur. Wildlife SOS in collaboration with Rajasthan Forest Department has launched a series of training workshops for elephant owners and mahouts on elephant care and management. The training workshops have been a trumpeting success with over 75 participants attending the first workshop.

The training workshop had both theory and classroom sessions conducted by elephant veterinarians from the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre followed by practical sessions with elephants. To create further awareness and bring about compassion, Wildlife SOS hosted a field exposure visit for the elephant owners and mahouts at the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura where the Wildlife SOS elephant care team showed practical humane and scientific elephant management techniques practised at the centre. This was followed by participative discussions and lunch.

Assistant conservator of forests Jagdish Chand Gupta, who accompanied elephant owners from Jaipur, said, “We want to adopt modern and positive elephant management and training techniques as a step to improve the condition for the elephants. This workshop proved to be a motivation for the elephant owners who are keen on adopting these methods.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO and co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said “The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre has model standards for humane elephant management and functions as a training platform to create similar facilities across India. Chief Wildlife Warden of Rajasthan Dr G V Reddy has shown great foresight and vision in facilitating these workshops to train stakeholders involved in elephant care so we can work together to improve the living conditions of elephants in Jaipur.”

Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said, “I am very happy to see the elephant owners and mahouts see and learn new methods of managing elephants with compassion and without the need for intimidation. The visit hosted by Wildlife SOS will go a long way to helping these people change the way they are managing and caring for their elephants”

Dr. Yaduraj Khadpekar, senior veterinarian in charge of the Wildlife SOS Elephant Care Centre, said “The training workshop and subsequent exposure visit to the Elephant Conservation and Care Centre quenched the curiosity of the elephant owners about how Wildlife SOS manages the elephants in our care. It also provided insight into modern management techniques available for providing humane care to elephants.

Rhea Lopez, Elephant campaign manager of Wildlife SOS, said “The workshop covered aspects of enclosure design, positive conditioning, veterinary care, elephant behaviour, enrichment, foot care and the elephant owners and mahouts were receptive & participated in all discussions.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Agra News / Aditya Devi / February 10th, 2017

Kumbh’s ‘lost-and-found’ baba passes away

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Travel

KumbhLostnFoundBabaLUCKNOW22aug2016

Allahabad :

Raja Ram Tiwari or ‘Bhule Bhatke Walon ke Baba’, known to the world as the one who ran ‘lost and found camp’ on the banks of the Sangam during Kumbh and Magh Melas for the past 71 years, died here on Saturday. He was 88. Tiwari, according to a conservative estimate, united over 14 lakh adults and around 21,000 children with their families during his self-less service spreading over seven decades. His latest passion was cleaning the Ganga.

“Babuji initiated his new venture, that of undertaking massive cleaning work of Ganga from Purnima (full moon) of April and wanted to do the same on every Purnima, but could not do much,” said Umesh Tiwari, youngest among his four sons. Raja Rama has left behind a family of 28 members including 20 grandchildren and his wife Shanti Devi (85 yrs) who lives in his native village of Gura Pure Badal of Nandu Ka Pura, Raniganj Tehsil of Pratapgrah district.

Starting the noble cause at the age of 18 along with his nine associates (in 1946), Raja Ram continued his work relentlessly for the past 71 years, starting from a handmade crude loudspeaker to a full-fledged camp having a strong team of over 150 volunteers during the previous Kumbh Mela in 2013.

When asked how his work will move forward, his long-term associate Pushkar Upadhayay said, “Such selfless service cannot stop after the demise of a person, especially the one who started it. No doubt we will miss his guidance in running the camp, but at any cost his name and work would continue, with more passion and commitment.”

Although the iconic man earned several awards and citations, including being featured in TV programme Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi (broadcast on October 15, 2015), his family members feel that his services were not recognized by the Central government.

As his body was brought from his native village to his house at Om Gayatri Nagar colony of the city, several senior officials of the district administration and prominent citizens visited his house to pay their last respect.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Rajeev Mani / TNN / August 22nd, 2016

Lucknow gets UP’s first solar-powered collectorate

Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology

Lucknow :

On August 1, the district collectorate in Lucknow became the first solar powered collectorate in the state.

The Rs 98-lakh solar power plant is capable of supplying enough energy to power all of its 49-strong rooms.

With the solar power plant in place, the district collectorate is likely to save more than Rs 15 lakh in electricity bills. “Currently, the building consumes around 150 kilowatt of energy which costs more than Rs 70 lakh annually. Now, this bill would be reduced by almost 22% as the installed solar plant will produce around 135 kilowatt of energy,” said district magistrate of Lucknow Raj Shekhar.

Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Science, (RMLIMS), KGMU, Vikas Bhawan, Sadar tehsil office and the new proposed tehsil building of Sarojninagar would soon follow suit.The project was launched in May and completed on July 25.

According to the district administration, the solar-powered plant can produce 1.89 lakh units of electricity per year or about 500 units per day. The power plant contains 438 solar plates and four grid- connected solar inverters.

The solar grid would produce energy for the next 25 years.

The power plant also has a bi-directional meter which can return unused power to the grid.The Lucknow district collectorate building has 49 rooms, including courts, chambers, accounts and other departments. Every chamber of the magistrate is equipped with 1.5- 2.0 tonne capacity of air-conditioners, besides fans and LED lights, along with extra electronic devices.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / TNN / August 20th, 2016

UP sets world record for planting 5cr trees in 24 hours

Agriculture, Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, World Opinion

Lucknow :

Uttar Pradesh now holds a world record for planting maximum, 5 crore, trees in a single day. On Saturday, Guinness gave the certificate to state government for planting 5core trees in 24 hours on July 11.

It was on July 11 that more than 5.3 crore trees were planted at 6,166 plantation sites, and 81,000 hectare, in 80 forest divisions of UP. The campaign started with chief minister Akhilesh Yadav planting two Verna trees at his residence.

While chief minister planted trees in Kanpur dehat, SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav planted eight saplings at Kukrail forest division.

Students and teachers, people from different communities, PAC battalion, army jawans, NCC cadets, farmers participated in the plantation drive apart from ministers and MLAs all over the state.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / by Neha Shukla / TNN / August 13th, 2016

BHU start-up’s innovation makes a global mark

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology
Banaras Hindu University.
Banaras Hindu University.

Aquvio, a home grown start-up at Malaviya Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (MCIIE), Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), has been shortlisted among the top 20 semi-finalists in the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP)-India Chapter. Only two start-ups have been selected from UP.

Aquvio innovators and civil engineering graduates from IIT-BHU, Naveen Kumar and Rohit Kumar Mittal, participated in the GCIP at UN conference hall in New Delhi where they were appreciated for their water-efficient start-up. Notably, the entries are made under three clean technology areas comprising energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste to energy and water efficiency.

The IIT-BHU graduates came up with a cost-efficient reverse osmosis-based water filtration solution that delivers potable water and promises high recovery rate of raw water unlike other water purifiers that results in increased water wastage. Technology business incubator, MCIIE, and other including former director of IIT-BHU, SN Upadhyay, senior scientist at Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Hannover (Germany), Dharmendra Kumar Gupta and former professor at department of electronics engineering, IIT-BHU, MS Maun extended help and support to them. The shortlisted semi-finalists were intimated via e-mails following which they participated in the orientation programme held at New Delhi recently.

“We sent our entry for the Cleantech Open competition that provides entrepreneurs the facilitation needed to launch and create successful clean technology ventures and start-ups. We were intimated via e-mail that we had been shortlisted among the top 20 and participated in orientation programme in Delhi,” said an elated Naveen.

GCIP was launched in 2013 by ministry of MSME, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) with support of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

One of the main objectives of the Indian Cleantech Competition is to equip entrepreneurs with critical skills that will enable them to take their innovation to the commercialization stage or to help them scale up their innovation.

The selected finalists will be brought together at Cleantech Open Global Forum in Silicon Valley, California.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Allahabad / TNN / July 07th, 2016

IIT pitches in for Namami Gange

Education, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nature
IIT-Kanpur has started technical survey in five villages close to the river.
IIT-Kanpur has started technical survey in five villages close to the river.

Kanpur:

As part of its endeavour to achieve ‘aviral aur nirmal’ (continuous and clean) flow of Ganga under the Namami Gange project, IIT-Kanpur has started technical survey in five villages close to the river.

The team is working on three aspects during the survey – do villagers use toilets, where is the solid waste discharged and what is the arrangement for sanitation and water supply.

The team also found out the number of domestic animals and the arrangement for their drinking water.

Prof Vinod Tare of IIT-K, who is closely associated with the Namami Gange project, said 13 prominent educational institutions have adopted 65 villages situated on the banks of Ganga. These institutions include NIT Uttarakhand, IIT-Roorkee, Aligarh Muslim University, NIT Allahabad, IIT-BHU, ISM-Dhanbad and IIT-Kharagpur.

“These 65 villages are situated on the river bank between Alaknanda to Gangasagar. Ganga travels through seven states and covers a distance of 2,500 kms before flowing into Bay of Bengal,” said Prof Tare who has been working on Ganga for the past two decades.

Abhishek Gaur, senior project associate at IIT-K and part of the team, said the survey is almost complete in Ramel Nagar, Khayora Katri, Pratappur Hari, Hindupur and Ludhawakhera villages situated close to Ganga.

Tare said preparations are on to construct a new ghat at the barrage. He said soon the work of renovation of the city ghats will begin.

In Bithoor, beautification of the ghats would be done by Kanpur Development Authority (KDA).

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kanpur / TNN / July 08th, 2016

NBRI cures, restores Parijat to pure original glory

Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Lucknow:

The ancient Parijat tree in Barabanki district is now free of ailments. The treatment administered by the CSIR lab, National Botanical Research Institute, has made the tree healthy again.

On Wednesday, D K Upreti, officiating director, NBRI, handed over the report containing recommendations on how to preseve the generations-old entity to the forest department. Though NBRI had administered chemical treatment to the tree initially, it has now recommended a microbial biopesticide (Bacillus based inoculants) to be applied on the trunk and leaves of the tree thrice in a year to keep it clean of infections. NBRI also gave Bacillus packets to forest department.

“When we visited the site and studied the samples of the tree and soil we found a huge number of bacterial and fungal infections but now it has been treated and cured completely,” said NBRI’s senior principal scientist S K Tiwari.

NBRI, a CSIR laboratory, was brought on board by the forest department to study the condition of the tree after TOI highlighted how it is wilting and is in dire need of conservation. Scientists had collected samples of the tree’s healthy tissue, wood from the affected portion and soil to find the cause. The sample analysis showed the tree was infested with multiple bacteria and fungi.

The tree was put under treatment in February and administered chemical therapy twice. The tree has a small temple at its base and devotees, for years, have been offering water and sweets as prasad there. Right at the spot it had developed a large opening in its trunk.

Though the tree is being looked after by the forest department as less than an acre land on which the tree exists in forest area, the treatment by the department along with regular spraying of disinfectants proved inefficient and insufficient to preserve the tree.

Parijat (Adansonia digitata) is an exotic tree, an African specie with peculiar features. It bears only flowers and no fruits, the reason it is difficult to grow anywhere. Its white flowers turn golden after a certain period. Barabanki’s Parijat is mythically believed to have come out of the ‘samudra manthan’ (churning of ocean) and brought to earth by Arjun from the garden of Indra for his mother Kunti to offer to Lord Shiva and seek victory of Pandavas over Kauravas. A few years ago, the Centre had released two postal stamps on this tree. “Parijat is said to be ‘kalpvrikhsh’ or the wish-fulfilling tree,” said a priest at the site of the tree.

Experts from Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Faizabad too studied the cause of the tree’s decay after Barabanki district administration sought help in 2012.

The age of the tree is anybody’s guess. According to forest officers, it’s only when one cuts the trunk of the tree and counts its rings that it can be known how old it is.

Parijat is ‘top-drying’, meaning its branches dry from the top. It sheds leaves in winters and during May-June new leaves sprout, so for six months it is green and rest of the year barren.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Lucknow / Neha Shukla, TNN / June 02nd, 2016