4 tonnes of e-waste collected in 3 days in Vadodra

To tackle the growing peril of electronic waste (e-waste) in the state and disposing it of scientifically, Baroda IT Association (BITA) organised a three-day IT exhibition in Vadodara from February 17-19. The event was held in collaboration with EcoSarjan, anAhmedabad-based non-government organisation (NGO).

"We collected nearly three tonnes of e-waste in first two days itself, which increased to four by the end of the third day," said Dipan Shah, director - EcoSarjan.

"This waste has already reached Ecoli Waste Management Pvt Ltd where it will be disposed as per Gujarat Pollution Control Norms," he added. The e-waste includes CPUs, cellphones, landline devices, modems, old typewriters, USB drives, tube lights and many more such electronic appliances now out of use.

Shah, and his partner organisation BITA, came up with an innovative idea to ensure more participation in the programme.

"We had promised cash vouchers to those who deposited their e-waste with the centre. These vouchers could be redeemed at the exhibition to buy a new electronic product," said Shah.

"Almost Rs1.4 lakh were given in vouchers in exchange ofe-waste. The amounts decided were based on type and condition of e-waste brought in," he added.

Shah, post this e-waste drive, has started receiving an increased number of calls from corporate houses, retailers and individuals who want their out-of-use electronics disposed. As per his estimates, this response will help collect three times the e-waste collected during the exhibition.

"We will organise one-day camps every week evaluate e-waste collected. This waste will be sorted and sent to the disposal plant. The exercise will continue till the time we have a permanent collection centre inVadodara," informed Shah.

"Similar camps are being planned for Ahmedabad as well," he added.GPCB and Vadodara Municipal Sewa Sadan (VMSS) support this drive.

Shah, to boost his endeavour, has now joined Federation of IT Associations of Gujarat (FITA) of which BITA is also a part.

Shah said, "Our work is to replicate collection centre at all IT exhibitions in Gujarat. We will also extend productive life of computer systems, wherein we collect and refurbish them and deliver the same for free to those who require them."

The Society for Environment Protection (SEP) through its EcoSarjanproject has been working on the issue of E-waste since 2009. It has evolved a comprehensive plan for E-waste awareness and management campaign for Gujarat.

A green solution to deal with garbage menace in Kerala

Dr Francis Xavier, a member of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, has developed a waste management system that has become highly successful in Thrissur.

The system is called Thumburmuzhy Model Aerobic Composting Technique (TMACT). And the model, according to its developer, is cost-effective and eco-friendly, and ideal to deal with the garbage in Kerala.

"The biodegradable waste here contains high moisture, so the best option would be composting or converting it into biogas. The most favoured method here now is vermicomposting. But TMACT is more eco-friendly and cost effective. Vermicomposting produces carbon dioxide and methane, and earthworms have to be taken care of. TMACT can be set up for only Rs 8,500 and there is zero production of methane or odour," said Francis Xavier.

He said TMACT's efficiency in segregating livestock waste gave it an edge over the existing composting processes. "A rectangle structure should be built using bricks on a cement floor leaving gaps in between. While its width should be restricted to four feet, height can vary. A roof is required to prevent the structure from getting wet. Once the structure is ready, wet cow dung up to 6 inches in height should be laid on the floor. Over this any kind of biodegradable waste, including livestock waste, can be spread. But here too the height should be limited to six inches. This should again be topped with wet cow dung. This process can be continued till the structure gets completely filled," Francis said.

The energy produced due to bacterial growth creates a 75 degree centigrade environment inside the plant, which prevents flies from laying eggs. Since moisture level is only 60%, the composting process will not create any odour, he said.

"A filled-up plant takes about 90 days to finish composting and it is ideal for large communities like flat dwellers. Smaller units can be used by households and local government bodies. Installing small units on roadsides at equal distances can help contain the growing garbage menace," said Francis Xavier.

The Thumburmuzhy model was being used at Orange County in Coorg as part of their Responsible Tourism and Zero Waste Programme, and by residents of many flats in Thrissur district, he added.

Tata Power commissions 25-MW solar project in Gujarat

 

Tata Power has commissioned a 25 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power project in Gujarat. Spread over 100 acres of land, the Rs 365-crore solar plant is based on crystalline silicon PV technology.

The company had signed a power purchase agreement for the project with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd. The Mithapur plant is one of the largest of its kind in the country and is now feeding power into the grid, Mr Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Power, said in a statement here.

The company’s subsidiary, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd, had recently tied up the entire debt requirement through a consortium of domestic lenders, namely State Bank of India and Export Import Bank of India with SBI Capital Markets Ltd acting as the sole financial advisor and arranger. The project financing comprises equity of Rs 110 crore and rupee term loan of Rs 255 crore.

Tata Power plans to set up 300-MW of solar power capacity by 2017. It has so far executed a 3-MW solar PV plant at Mulshi, one of the largest grid-connected solar projects in Maharashtra, and had set up its first solar power plant of 110 kW, way back in 1996 at Walwhan in Lonavla.

With these projects, Tata Power now has a portfolio of more than 28 MW of solar and 375 MW of wind power, making it the largest renewable utility player in India.

Tata Power, India’s largest private sector power utility with an installed generation capacity of about 3,682 MW, has a presence in all segments of the power sector viz generation (thermal, hydro, solar and wind), transmission, distribution and trading.

Captive power units: Ministry urges CEA to get details

 

To gauge the progress of captive power plants, the Government has asked developers to furnish information regarding sourcing of equipment, and land and water requirement for these projects by February 29. The Ministry of Power has asked the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to gather updated information regarding land acquisition and order for main plant equipment from all the developers of captive power plants by February 29, as per information on the CEA website.

Captive Power Plants (CPP) are the plants which core sector industries, like steel and cement, build to meet their own electricity needs.

The details sought by the government include size of the land for the proposed CPP, requirement of end-use plant in acres, besides water needed for the proposed CPP in cusecs. It also includes status of the EPC (engineering procurement construction) contract indicating actual or proposed dates of notice inviting tenders, award of contracts etc.

The developers have to provide details of existing coal linkage and whether the company has applied for any additional coal requirement for the CPP.

CEA should also furnish details from the company regarding financial closure or further investment in the project.

“If the company plans to connect the plant to the National Grid or not, a disclosure has to be made in that regard as well,” it added.

Chinese electric auto rickshaws eyes Indian market

After low-priced mobile phones, toys and plastic plates, it now appears to be the turn of electric auto rickshaws from China to become a hit in markets in south Indian state Kerala.

It may be for the first time that autos running on electric battery coming to the auto market in place of auto cabs run on carbon fuels or CNG, according to Press Trust of India

Oil PSUs moving towards eco-friendly production tech

The public sector oil companies in the country are aware of their social responsibilities and are taking all steps to adopt eco-friendly production technologies and keep pollution to the minimum, according to Mr S. Jaipal Reddy, the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

He was speaking at the Visakha refinery of HPCL here on Monday after inaugurating the clean fuel project, meant to produce petroleum to Euro-3 and Euro-4 specifications.

He said the public sector oil companies were posting losses to the extent of Rs 1,50,000 crore and it would require at least Rs 40,000 crore if they were to supply petroleum to every customer in the country in accordance with Euro-4 specifications. “Still, they are making all efforts to supply as clean a fuel as possible and the HPCL project here is a good example of their resolve to keep the environment clean,” he said.

The Minister said that, at present, petroleum was being supplied to 13 cities in the country to Euro-4 specifications and “by 2013, Visakhapatnam would also get such petrol and diesel. “I have taken the decision keeping in mind the peculiar environmental problems of Visakhapatnam.”

STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES

Mr Jaipal Reddy said an underground storage facility for petroleum was being created here to store 13 lakh tonnes. “We are building such strategic reserves at Mangalore and another place in Karnataka. These strategic reserves will suffice for three months, even if do not get oil from abroad in any emergency. The rock structure at Visakhapatnam is found be suitable for such a facility,” he explained.

Earlier, many speakers including the Union Minister of State for HRD, Ms D. Purandeswari, expressed concern over the growing pollution levels in Visakhapatnam and the need for HPCL to address such concerns. It may be noted that the refinery is presently facing a production cut imposed by the AP Pollution Control Board.

IIM-A's 'BSE-GREENEX' index to reveal carbon emission by companies

The carbon footprints' index that IIM-A has prepared for BSE-listed companies will be called 'BSE-GREENEX' and has a punch-line saying 'Invest in Green India'. The index, which is meant to reveal the amount of carbon emission by the companies, will be launched by BSE on February 22 at BSE's convention hall in Mumbai.

The idea of introducing the index is to enable investors to mitigate their financial risks connected to future climate change. IIM-A prepared the index for BSE-listed companies by analyzing their annual reports from the last four years. BSE will also launch a guideline for investors which will help them understand the relationship between the amount of carbon footprints that a company releases and the respective short-term and long-term impact on its investment and returns.

The index and the guidelines will be launched by minister of corporate affairs, Veerappa Moily in the presence of managing director and chief executive officer of BSE, Madhu Kannan.

"The guideline will reveal that there is room for control over the carbon emission of the companies," said IIM-A faculty Amit Garg, who is closely involved in the development of the index.