Delhi Metro creates an eco-friendly park near Shastri Park Station

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has created an eco-friendly station at Shastri Park Metro Station and it is decorated with artistic installations that has been created from waste material recovered from Metro construction sites.
The park is powered by the solar energy and water required for horticultural use will be provided by the Sewage Water Treatment Plant (STP).
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 21 February 2017.

The park located near Shastri Park Metro Station is spread across 10 acres and will be offering a host of facilities like auditorium, amphitheatre, meditation corner, playground for children and gymnasium apart from a lake with a fountain in it.
Top soil from various underground station sites have been used in the park and it is furnished with "medicinal and pollution absorbing plants". It has received 'Platinum' rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). With this Prakriti Park, the DMRC has initiated a new chapter in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).


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Cycling fad takes roots in Bengaluru

Cycling to work is gradually taking roots in Bengaluru. Using the eco-friendly bicycle instead of the automobiles tat pollute the atmosphere is gradually being embraced by a section of the youth. One individual, at his job interview two months ago had informed his bosses that he wanted to cycle to work - a practice he had followed in his two previous companies. He also added that he aims to have at least five of his hundred colleagues join him on the bicycle within the next year. His bosses admired his initiative and agreed to provide necessary facilities, including the one for riders to take shower.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 5 September 2016.

Cycling a distance of 30km - between Bannerghatta Road and Manyata Tech Park - has influenced others who reside near their work places to use the cycle to go to work. Incidentally, some of the cycles are more expensive than motorbikes and, hence, parking space for these high-end cycles matters a lot.
Infosys has taken a lead in this respect. For the past three years, it has been promoting cycling among its employees at the Electronics City campus. Apart from providing dedicated cycle parking slots and shower facilities, the company keeps organizing bicycle rides through its cycling group. The short rides are usually within a 15km radius from the campus and it has helped the group to initiate the cycling culture among their colleagues.
The long rides involving a distance of around 100km usually have destinations in Kanakapura Road, Nandi Hills and Chikkatirupathi.


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Steel City Jamshedpur wants eco-friendly Durga Pujas - begins preparations

Durga Puja, the biggest festival of Bengalis is hardly 70 days away and, already preparations have been started by Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samiti to ensure celebrations keeping in view the environmental constraints and requirements. The Samiti is an apex organization that monitors Pujas in the steel city of Jamshedpur and it has set the ball rolling with festivities expected to be held in the second week of October.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 27 July 2016.

For a start, the samiti has issued directives to all organizers in Jamshedpur to go in for light-weight idols without the use of synthetic colors - this will facilitate smooth and pollution free immersions. The puja committees have been asked to use natural and environment-friendly colors.
The idol makers have indicated that they can make light-weight and eco-friendly idols but, these will be costly. Normally, traditional materials are bamboo, clay and hay, while the lighter varieties were made of coir, copper wire and plaster of Paris. These need more time to make and there is the cost factor as well.
Another aspect is the concern over inadequate rain due to which the level of water in both the Subernarekha and Kharkai was low. Usually, overflowing rivers help in smooth immersion of idols. This will be another point to keep in mind while making the idols.
Jamshedpur hosts over 300 pujas and is second only to Calcutta in Bengal in terms of numbers. Last year's steel city puja count was 300.


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Soon post offices in Jamshedpur to sell Ganga jal, toothpaste etcetera

Once upon a time, the post offices used to be a busy place selling post cards, stamps and sending telegrams or money orders. But, with the advent of an electronic lifestyle and the entry of the internet, those days of dependence on manual service has gone. Today, it is the age of e-mails and SMSs. Hence, the initiative taken by Jamshedpur, the Indian Posts is turning over a new leaf. It will be selling Ganga jal and products like toothpaste.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 30 April 2016.

The latest news is that Bistupur head post office in Jamshedpur, under the Singhbhum Circle of India Post, would begin to retail Gangajal from Haridwar in bottles of different quantities. The holy water would be in bottles of 100ml, 350ml and 450ml and would be priced at Rs 12, Rs 18 and Rs 22, respectively. Moreover, a few Patanjali products like chyawanprash, toothpaste, rosewater, dalia and amla candy would be on the shelves. The post office has already started selling eco-friendly solar lamps and, from May, it will offer more services like accepting energy bills and selling judicial and non-judicial stamp papers.


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IndiGo gets its first eco-friendly A320 Neo Airbus

IndiGo is the first airline in India to take delivery of the first eco-friendly A320 Neo that has been built by European aircraft major Airbus. The aircraft landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and was delivered to the budget carrier IndiGo. This makes IndiGo to be the first airline among Asian airlines to have inducted the latest aircraft from Airbus.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 12 March 2016.

The delivery of this eco-friendly Airbus 320 was to have started from December 2015 but technical issues forced a postponement. It is felt that the A320 Neo fleet will set a benchmark by significantly reducing the impact on environment and give rise to a more sustainable mode of flying. It is claimed that the new aircraft is 15% more fuel efficient than the exiting versions of A320.
It is powered by Pratt and Whitney's fuel-efficient geared turbo fan engines, and has many new features including latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing-tip devices - these two account for 15% in fuel savings from day one and 20% by 2020. This is equivalent to a reduction of 5,000 tonnes of CO2 per aircraft per year. And, in addition, the A320 Neo provides a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions and reduced engine noise.
All these would add up to more comfortable flying experience.


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Go in for eco-friendly travel in Bhubaneswar - embrace bicycle sharing

#bhubaneswar #cyclesharing #ecofriendly Bhubaneswar is leading the way to popularize eco-friendly mode of travel by introducing a new bicycle sharing system in line with China and European countries. The initiative is being taken by a group of youth in association with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). They will start 'Parikrama', the cycle sharing system from January 23. Anyone in the city can avail of a bicycles by submitting identity proof and Rs 100, which is refundable.
The first six hours is free. Subsequently, a nominal amount will be charged for a one-hour extra drive. The system will begin with 30 cycles in six IOCL petrol pumps.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 18 January 2016.

Bicycling is not only cheap but is pollution free and helps to keep one fit. The initiative has been taken by Jay Odisha-a voluntary organization. The intention is to keep pollution in check before it reaches the level of metros like Delhi.
Cycle sharing system is quite popular and successful in China and Europe. It has been introduced in a few cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai for last few years as initiatives of both the government and private entities. Such a system will not only reduce usage of private vehicles but will also create awareness about the environment and raise the level of mobility of the people.
The group Jay Odisha has begun an awareness campaign about the cycle sharing program in different schools, colleges, railway stations, public places apart from through radio and outdoor advertisements.

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Almora school sets an example - uses solar power to cook midday meals

#solarpower #ecofriendly Almora school sets an example by using solar power to cook midday meal for its students. The government primary school in Tarikhet has four solar cookers which are deployed to cook the midday meals for the 22 children studying there. It has used only two LPG cylinders in the past two years when there was no sunlight for days due to rains and snowfall in the region.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 14 December 2015.

The efforts of this school is creditable. This school has been effectively utilizing solar energy every day for the last few years and is testimony to how alternative energy sources can be harnessed by institutions if there is adequate willpower.
District officials have informed that solar cookers were provided to other primary schools in the area, but, this school is the one which has effectively used them. It has reduced its dependence on cooking gas and wood. It takes about forty minutes to cook lentils and rice on two cookers when there is abundant sunlight.
The school is situated on top of a mountain, and hence receives plenty of sunlight throughout the year. During cloudy skies or when strong winds blow, it takes a longer time to cook. Problem is only when there are rains and snowfall - it is then that it goes fr LPG gas.
Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) had supplied solar cookers to 80 schools in Almora district. It is a place where there is ample sunlight for 300 days in a year and, a family can easily cook their meal once a day on solar cooker. It's eco-friendly, and economical.


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Eco lovers of Madurai set an example – promote an alternate to plastic bags

This pair of eco lovers of Madurai deserve praise for their unique efforts to go green and promote a more eco-friendly lifestyle and culture by banning use of plastic bags. They have started to distribute yellow cloth bags (Manja Pai) in occasions like marriage.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 25 August 2015.

The message passed on through bags is to not only revive the lost 'Manja Pai' culture of Tamils, but also encourage avoidance of plastic and plant trees. The system began in February 2014 and, these bags are used in occasions likes marriage, birthday parties and marathons and are also are sold in various shops.
The couple had distributed 3,500 yellow bags at a marriage function recently. Since inception, the couple has sold around 45,000 cloth bags across the city and also to cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. Each bag is priced at Rupees seven and has capacity to hold one kilogram of weight – and it is reusable. Hence, the investment of Rs 7 does not go waste. These are made in Madurai by a few homemakers.
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#cochinairport #solarpower #CIAL #ecofriendly Cochin Airport has become the first ecofriendly airport in the world to run on solar power and is a major step taken by the Cochin International Airport Limited CIAL towards cleaner energy. The green initiative was inaugurated by Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy. The setup is a 12MWp solar power project that consists of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres near the cargo complex of the airport.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 20 August 2015.

It is estimated that the project would generate about 50,000 units of electricity daily once it becomes fully operational. That would technically make the airport "absolutely power neutral".
CIAL entered the Solar PV sector in March 2013, by installing a 100 kWp solar PV plant on the roof top of the Arrival Terminal Block. That was flowed by the installation of a 1 MWp solar PV power plant partly on the roof top and partly on the ground in the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar facility within the airport premises.
As indicated by CIAL, these plants have so far saved more than 550 MT of CO2 emission, thus contributing to the efforts of CIAL towards minimizing environmental degradation.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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