Latest news with #Neeri
Time of India
9 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Rs5 Crore Allocation for Eco-Friendly Crematoriums
Nagpur: The civic body has allocated ₹5 crore in the current fiscal year to install air pollution control systems at major crematoriums across the city. In the first phase, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is installing systems at Gangabai Ghat, Mokshadham, and Manewada crematoriums—locations with high cremation volumes. Other crematoriums will be covered in subsequent phases as part of a broader initiative to make all cremation grounds environmentally sustainable. The initiative was discussed during a recent review meeting of the city-level committee overseeing the implementation of the air pollution control action plan. The meeting, chaired by NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, also focused on expediting other measures aimed at improving Nagpur's air quality. Among the steps discussed, the civic body has proposed an additional ₹2 crore for installing sprinklers in air pollution hotspots. "A trial conducted by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) in densely populated and high-traffic areas—such as HB Town, Lakadganj, Pardi, and other eastern localities—showed that water sprinkling significantly improved air quality," said Shweta Banerjee, superintending engineer (PHE). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "According to Neeri's study, levels of suspended particulate matter dropped markedly with regular sprinkling. Additionally, mechanical sweeping machines deployed in these same hotspots have helped reduce dust pollution, further supporting the city's clean air efforts," she added. To enhance green cover, NMC has earmarked ₹5 crore for 2025–26 for developing new green spaces. The meeting also reviewed plantation and beautification works undertaken in the past three financial years—2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25. The commissioner instructed officials to expedite the completion of ongoing projects and submit detailed progress reports to the state-level air quality control committee. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including additional commissioner Vasumana Pant, chief engineer Manoj Talewar, deputy commissioners Rajesh Bhagat and Ganesh Rathod, as well as representatives from Neeri and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). Senior engineers and department heads from the sanitation and garden departments also attended the meeting.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Excess Fluoride Found In 21% Of City Water Samples
Nagpur: With fluoride contamination detected in one out of every five groundwater samples in Nagpur, a public interest litigation (PIL) (No. 27/2021) filed before the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court has sought urgent revival of the city's deteriorating public wells. The petitioner-activist Sandesh Singalkar asked the court to direct Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to approve a Rs36 lakh proposal submitted by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) to restore wells and safeguard drinking water sources. The court was also urged to direct Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to submit an action plan for the restoration of wells across the city. The NMC, represented by counsel Sudhir Puranik, was granted one week to respond to the petition. According to a recent report by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), 12 out of 57 water samples tested in the city were found to contain excess fluoride, raising concerns over long-term health impacts. "Fluoride above permissible limits can cause serious harm to human health, including skeletal and dental fluorosis," petitioner's counsel Smita Singalkar told the court. The PIL, heard on Thursday by a division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Sachin Deshmukh, alleges that more than half of Nagpur's 860 public wells are either dry or severely polluted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The petitioner claimed 120 wells are officially declared defunct by the NMC, while many others have become dumping grounds. "These wells were meant to serve the public, not to breed guppy fish," the petitioner contended, pointing to the presence of fish farming in at least 138 wells. Singalkar further informed the court that he personally inspected 11 wells across the city and found their condition "deplorable." Despite this, he said, the NMC has taken no concrete steps toward rejuvenating the affected water sources. In its plan submitted earlier, the Neeri had offered to conduct a detailed survey and recommend revival strategies for the city's wells, at a cost of Rs36 lakh. The NMC is yet to approve the plan, despite having an annual budget of Rs5,500 crore, the petition notes. "A civic body with thousands of crores in spending capacity should not hesitate to allocate Rs36 lakh to safeguard public health," the petitioner argued.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘One-size-fits-all approach won't solve water crisis'
Nagpur: "India's water challenges cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all solution," said Atul Vaidya, vice-chancellor of LITU and Director of Neeri. Highlighting the country's vast diversity and contrasting climatic zones on the third day of the Vidarbha Pani Parishad, Vaidya stressed the need for context-specific strategies. Vaidya urged for sectorwise, evidence-based strategies backed by rigorous research rather than blanket solutions. He also cautioned against shifting all blame onto industries for water pollution and mismanagement. "It's easy to target industries, but as a society, we must also reflect on damage we ourselves are causing to our water bodies. We too are polluters & we must be ready to pay for our share of it," he noted. He emphasised the urgent need to invest in water management systems today. He added that the water that costs Rs 50/ltr today, may swell up to Rs 5,000/ltr if any sustainable solution is not implemented. Adding a grassroots perspective, Padma Shri Chaitram Pawar from Bharipada village in Dhule called upon students to engage actively in rural transformation. Pawar, who turned down a job from the Indian Air Force to work for the community, has spent 20 yrs reviving forests. (Inputs by Simran Shrivastav)
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Neeri studying health effects of microplastics, experts discuss sustainable tech, waste management
Nagpur: CSIR-Neeri director Dr S Venkata Mohan on Thursday expressed concern over plastic waste entering the oceans during his address at the institute's auditorium on the occasion of World Environment Day. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Plastic waste is a major issue globally. Only 10% of plastic is being recycled. Plastic management is a multi-pronged issue. Neeri is monitoring microplastic, toxicology and health issues from it," he said. Dr Mohan described Neeri's role in plastics management, including the monitoring of microplastics in air, water, and soil. He also mentioned that Neeri is actively involved in health studies related to microplastic exposure. He briefed the audience on technologies such as waste-to-graphene conversion and thermocatalytic combustion for plastic waste management. K Rajeevan, vice president and chief technology officer, Larsen and Toubro Limited, Chennai, was the chief guest. Besides Dr Mohan, Dr P Ganesh Kumar, R&D Head, L&T Water Technology Centre, Chennai, was also present. A meeting was also held between Rajeevan and Neeri scientists to explore new avenues for joint research, technology transfer, and deployment Rajeevan said that science and technology can play a pivotal role in converting plastics into biodegradable materials. He highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle complex environmental challenges. He stressed the need to shift from a linear to a circular economy and called for a change in mindset — from exploitation of nature to co-existence with it. He also underlined the value of sustainable innovations in industrial processes and urged scientists and engineers to develop scalable and affordable green technologies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rajeevan briefed about water supply, irrigation, and municipal wastewater projects accomplished by Larsen and Toubro Limited. He discussed smart monitoring systems, automation, and advanced technologies such as membrane filtration and MBBR, highlighting their role in delivering efficient, sustainable, and scalable water and irrigation solutions for both urban and industrial applications. He informed that the Prime Minister recently inaugurated the L&T-built Surya Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme to ensure a water-secure future for Vasai-Virar and Mira Bhayandar regions. He also highlighted the futuristic innovations of L&T's Water Resource Centre.. Dr Debishree Khan, senior scientist, Neeri, conducted the proceedings. Prakash Kumbhare, senior principal scientist, Neeri, proposed a vote of thanks.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India must become more energy-efficient for sustainable growth: IIT-Jodhpur director
1 2 Nagpur: By increasing the share of renewables, electrifying end-use sectors, and utilizing biomass-enabled carbon capture, India could potentially save 36.9 GW of energy demand, said Avinash Kumar Agarwal, director of IIT-Jodhpur, on Tuesday. Agarwal, who was delivering the keynote address at the 'Energy Dialogues: Clean. Viable. Inclusive' workshop organized by CSIR-Neeri, stressed India must become more energy-efficient to ensure sustainable growth. G Sridhar, director general, SSS-NIBE, Kapurthala, and Thallada Bhaskar, director, CSIR-AMPRI, Bhopal, were the guests of honour. "Energy consumption is directly tied to economic growth," Agrawal said, noting that India's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are low. Referring to India's Panchamrit goals, he said, "While we are aiming for 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, India's high coal consumption (400 million tonnes/year) necessitates the development of efficient coal technologies, including exploring high-ash coal and hydrogen (blue to green), for future energy solutions. " He urged scientists to focus on the development of green fuels compatible with IC engines to facilitate a more inclusive and sustainable energy transition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Neeri director S Venkata Mohan stressed energy access is a fundamental right. Neeri chief scientist Nitin Labhsetwar said, "India must chart its own low-emission growth path, rather than blindly emulating Western models." Later, Agarwal chaired a session moderated by Labhsetwar, which brought together leading scientists and innovators committed to tackling climate change with home-grown solutions. The central theme of the discussion was how Neeri is gearing up to take sustainability to the next level with several ambitious initiatives. The institute is focusing heavily on scaling up carbon capture technologies that can reduce industrial emissions effectively, alongside developing integrated solar-biomass hybrid energy systems designed to maximise clean power generation even in rural areas. The panellists made it clear that these projects are not just lab experiments but are being designed for real-world impact solutions that will reach communities, industries and policymakers alike. Amit Bansiwal, chief scientist at Neeri, spoke passionately about the institute's roadmap to embed sustainability across every stage of a product's life cycle, ensuring environmental responsibility is built into development from the ground up. Avneesh Anshul, principal scientist at Neeri, emphasised Neeri's commitment to making clean technologies accessible and practical for India's diverse population, highlighting collaborations with industry partners to bring innovations from pilot stages to large-scale adoption. S Venkata Mohan outlined plans to strengthen grass roots innovation, encouraging local solutions that align with national sustainability goals. The event concluded on an optimistic note, reinforced by LITU VC Atul Vaidya's call for a science-driven future that balances innovation with social and environmental needs.
