Saarthi Greentech Unveils First Factory in Pune to produce Hydrogen Fuel Systems that aim to reduce Fuel Consumption and Carbon Emissions in an Indo- Australian collaboration.
Saarthi GreenTech, an Indo-Australian clean-tech company, has proudly announced the grand inauguration of its state-of-the-art factory in Chakan, Pune. In first phase of its operation the 10,000 sq. ft production unit will manufacture approximately 1,00,000 units annually. The K series Hydrogen Fuel Systems will be available in different variants like K20, K30, K40, K50 corresponding to the engine capacity they support. Their patented electrolyser-based Hydrogen Fuel Systems, a cutting-edge technology, converts diesel-run engines into hydrogen-based hybrids instantly, leading to a remarkable reduction in fuel consumption and harmful emissions.
This factory represents a significant step forward for Saarthi GreenTech, making it India’s first manufacturing & assembly unit for Saarthi GreenTech’s innovative products to be sold in India as well as exported to global markets like Australia, Middle-East, Africa & the USA. Saarthi GreenTech’s current investment of approximately One Million Australian Dollars underscores its commitment to driving sustainable solutions and pioneering advancements in clean energy technologies.
The Indo- Australian innovation was inaugurated by Mr.Paul Murphy, the consulate general of Australia accompanied by Ms.Malini Dutt, A/g Trade and Investment Commissioner – India, Investment NSW, along with leaders of Saarthi GreenTech – Mr. Alok Kumar, Co-Founder, Saarthi GreenTech, Karunjit Kumar Dhir, Co-Founder Saarthi GreenTech and other industry veterans. They were also joined by Mr.Abhishek Goyal of BLR Logistiks, Mr. Balamurugan KGS of TransPra and Mr. Malcolm Dsouza & Mr.Santosh Ingalkar of KSH Distriparks as some of their esteemed guests for this inauguration ceremony.
Mrs. Nandani Kumar, MD for Saarthi GreenTech in India said, “The entire team at Saarthi GreenTech is passionate about leveraging technological innovations to reduce pollution & overall carbon footprint of the industries that heavily depend on the usage of the fossil-fuel, especially diesel. We are driven by a single focus to make this world a better place for our future generations by giving them a cleaner & greener world.”
Mr. Alok Kumar, Co-Founder of Saarthi GreenTech said, “After having invested years into this technology & project, the inauguration of the factory marks a significant milestone in our journey to reduce fuel consumption and carbon footprint. Our patented technology and strategic investments reflect our dedication to revolutionizing the clean-tech landscape and addressing pressing challenges in the automotive and industrial sectors.”
Mr. Karunjit Kumar Dhir, Co-Founder of Saarthi GreenTech expressed his gratitude to the InvestmentNSW & the government of Australia for being very encouraging & helpful in enabling them to forge this Australia-India collaboration. He also mentioned, “Our world needs practically feasible energy transition solutions today that can accelerate the decarbonization journey for the industries and world economies, thereby reducing our carbon footprint rapidly. We can neither replace the fossil-fuel based vehicles currently running on roads overnight nor wait for years for greener alternatives that are affordable, and therefore Saarthi GreenTech is our little personal endeavor in this direction to solve this challenge today.”
Saarthi GreenTech is India’s first homegrown manufacturing company decarbonizing and solving the challenge of accelerating the transition of commercial automotive industry from diesel to hydrogen-based hybrid.
Saarthi Greentech’s robust research and development infrasucture across India & Australia, coupled with strategic customer outreach initiatives, is revolutionizing the hydrogen economy piece in the overall clean-tech landscape. With it’s India headquarters based in Pune & Australia Head Office in Sydney (NSW), Saarthi Greentech is pioneering in revolutionizing the need for decarbonization in the automotive, mining, construction, marine, power generation, and industrial sectors.
Increasing connectivity is a tool for greater integration of South Asia. Bhutan bets high on India’s economic growth. India is in a sweet spot amidst geo-political flux. India’s growth over past 3 decades reflects resilience.
These were some of the points that emerged at sessions on the concluding day of Asia Economic Dialogue, AED 2024, the annual three-day geo-economics conference organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Pune International Centre (PIC), from February 29, 2024.
The theme of this year’s AED was ‘Geo-economic Challenges in an Era of Flux’.
The session on ‘Expanding Regional Connectivity: Towards a More Integrated South Asia’ was chaired by Amb. Sudhir Devare, former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, and former Ambassador to South Korea, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Indonesia. The panellists were Dr. Prabir De, Professor, Research and Information Systems for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi; Dr. Atiur Rahman, Emeritus Professor, Dhaka University, and former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Tenzing Lamsang, Editor, The Bhutanese; and Dr. Nischal Nath Pandey, Director, Centre for South Asian Studies, Nepal.
Amb. Sudhir Devare said connectivity and integration go together and that connectivity is key for integration. South Asia has commonalities but is still the least integrated region in the world and it does not auger well for a region. He said South Asia lies in the centre of the Indo Pacific, which has now become the heart of global change. Connectivity, he said, is a tool for greater integration of this region. Also, Central banks in the region can bring about connectivity, he added.
Dr. Prabir De listed challenges that face South Asia in terms of trade and investment. He said dependency of landlocked countries in South-Asia in terms of regional trade has increased over time. He said high trade barriers pull down growth of intra South Asia trade. However, he said South Asia integration process is gaining momentum through bilateral and sub-regional partnerships.
Dr. Atiur Rahman said that on the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) initiative front, there is good bilateral trade. He said political understanding is at an all-time high. He pointed out that there are a number of areas for cooperation, as in swap currency deal, recently used for Sri Lanka economic crisis. On Bangladesh and India, he observed that rupee trade arrangement up to 2 billion dollars can be traded in rupees. Central banks can be developmental central banks, he said. Chittagong will be hub of connectivity for NE India and Bangladesh, he added. He said there was a need for out of the box solutions to problems.
Tenzing Lamsang said Bhutan has placed a huge bet on India’s economic growth. He said India can play an important part by providing commercial finance cooperation and facilitating energy trade. He pointed out that some MoUs have been signed for the trilateral project between India, Bhutan and Bangladesh but not operationalised, adding that this is missed opportunity for India and the sub-region. He said post Covid, with more checks on borders, India has become more protectionist in trading. However, he noted that things are not all that grim.
Dr. Nischal N Pandey said that in the midst of a geopolitical flux, post Covid economic recovery and conflicts in different regions of the world, India is in a sweet spot, with political stability, a “vishwaguru”. He called for connectivity that goes beyond infrastructure and leverages civilisational ties, and keeping an open border. He said Nepal’s currency pegged to the Indian rupee is acting like a cushion for Nepal’s macroeconomic stability. He also said that India-Nepal airfares are very high compared to other countries in the region.
Discussions were held in sessions on ‘Reimagining and Revitalising the World Trade Organization’ and ‘Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET): Securing our Future’.
The session on ‘Reimagining and Revitalising the World Trade Organization’ was chaired by Amb. (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, Professor of Diplomatic Practice, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University. The panellists were Dr. Asle Toje, Deputy Leader, Norwegian Nobel Committee, and Dr. Asanka Wijesinghe, Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka.
Amb. Mohan Kumar said the WTO has not been functioning well, particularly its dispute resolution mechanism, which he said was its crown jewel. He said the WTO ministerial conference at Abu Dhabi was a failure and that at the conference India wanted restoration of the appellate body. He said every negotiation has to be multilateral. Pointing out that you cannot do foreign policy on a shoestring budget, he said we have to grow and grow pretty fast. He said there is massive shortage of expert manpower as we are sending envoys to WTO who have not done trade policy at all. He pointed out that of the 123 WTO member countries, India and South Africa were the only two countries to oppose the Investment Facilitation Development (IFD) agreement at the WTO. During the Q&A, Amb. Gautam Bambawale observed that India’s position at WTO reflects whole weaknesses.
Dr. Asanka Wijesinghe noted that the dispute resolution at WTO is essentially killed and that there is no consensus on fishing and agriculture subsidies.
Asle Toje said the criticism that there are too many countries that can block negotiations is valid. Pointing out that India and Norway have an ancient trading relation, he said India is exasperated with the WTO, especially with regard to fisheries. On the West-WTO dynamic, he observed that the West has not been negotiating in the best of faith. However, he said the WTO should address issues, such as of judicial overreach, that lead to US reluctance. He pointed out that 40 percent of Chinese trade is not carried out within the WTO and that it would be interesting to see if India emerges as a force.
Amb. B Navanit, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the WTO, proposed consensus-building as a key strategy for reimagining the WTO, advocating for measures such as establishing a fund for agricultural improvement and positioning the WTO as a coordination body.
The session on ‘Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET): Securing our Future’ was chaired by Dr. Sameer Patil, Senior Fellow, Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, and Deputy Director, ORF Mumbai. The panellists were Rachel Rizzo, Senior Fellow, Europe Centre, Atlantic Council; Toshihiko Kurihara, New Delhi Representative, Japan Bank for International Cooperation; and Shweta Rao Buntwal, Director, National Security Council Secretariat.
The key points that emerged were: There are geopolitical elements to critical and emerging technologies, especially resource nationalism and weaponisation of supply chain. Hawkishness on China unites Democrats and Republicans in US. India has great potential with engineers and resources. US focus is on building better relationship with Global South.
Dr. Sameer Patil said there are geopolitical elements to the critical and emerging technologies, highlighting “resource nationalism” and “weaponisation of the supply chain”. He said many countries are trying to diversify away from China which is dominating this space, especially with regard to rare earth minerals and technologies.
Rachel Rizzo, giving the US perspective on emerging technologies, said the issue of hawkishness on China unites Democrats and Republicans in the US. China’s overseas interests are for dominance, she noted. However, she said it was not about de-coupling but just ensuring China is a few years behind the US. She said the focus of the US is to build better relationship with the Global South. There is a need to leverage the economic heft of the mini-laterals, for instance the QUAD has a combined GDP of $34 trillion, she observed.
Shweta Rao Buntwal said critical technologies can be harnessed to boost strategic capabilities, both offensive and defensive, adding that India will be a serious contender in how these technologies are used in future. She said the US should look beyond technical aspects of minilaterals like QUAD and look at outcomes. Pointing out that countries rich in these minerals are finding new resources to development, she said there are also countries that have the technologies and that don’t have; China dominates this space. She said there is a need to collaborate to use these technologies for global good and not only for strategic dominance. India, she said, will have the opportunity to show the world the middle way in the polarised world.
Toshihiko Kurihara, while terming India as a great partner for Japan, said India has great potential with engineers and resources. On how Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is scaling finance for developing countries in Critical and Emerging Technologies, Toshihiko Kurihara said JBIC is looking at a PPP (Public Private Partnership) models and giving long-term credits. He said additionally, government efforts are needed; and there is a need to shift focus away from solely commercial financing to promote research and development. He said India should enjoy the fruits of the financial packages.
Amb. Gautam Bambawale, Convenor, AED, former High Commissioner to Pakistan and former Ambassador to China and Bhutan, said PIC would like to host a more detailed conference on this issue with US diplomats.
The Valedictory Session featured Dr. Vijay Kelkar, eminent economist and Chairman of the 13th Finance Commission, and Vice President, PIC; Amb. Sudhir Devare, former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, and former Ambassador to South Korea, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Indonesia; and Amb. Gautam Bambawale, Convenor, AED, former High Commissioner to Pakistan and former Ambassador to China and Bhutan.
The speakers highlighted the stability achieved by India in the era of flux, the theme of AED 2024. Amb. Devare said there has been continuity in India’s policy and a forward-looking approach. On FTAs, he said they need to be implemented thoroughly as it involves movement of people, which brings issues of immigration. India’s export at 50 percent of GDP is a huge change, he added.
On India’s growth story, Dr. Kelkar said India’s growth between 6.1-6.4 over the past 30 years despite challenges reflected its resilience. He said though we had four PMs during this period, they protected and encouraged growth and observed fiscal responsibility and prudence. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) further protected the Indian economy. “Every prime minister ensured continuity of policies. That is how we managed the era of flux and maintained sustained growth over the past 30 years,” he observed. On how India should deal with tariff barrier issues, he said open economy is the solution that will benefit all. He noted that coercion through sanctions cannot contain China and that India should follow its own policies to counter China.
On how Pune can stay competitive, Dr. Kelkar said it would require improving facilities, especially with regard to its traffic management; urban governance; and quality of life among other things. If this can be done, Pune has tremendous possibilities, he noted.
Certificate Course in Peoples’ Biodiversity Register Development for Masters’ students at Fergusson College, DESPU
Raintree Foundation in partnership with Srushti Conservation Foundation (SCF) is facilitating a 15-Day Certificate Course in Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBR) development for Masters’ students at the Fergusson College, Deccan Education Society Pune University (DESPU). The People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) is an essential participatory tool for documenting the local community’s traditional knowledge about the region’s biodiversity and human interaction with ecological systems.
Human actions like habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation, climate change, and invasive species threaten biodiversity, causing ecosystem disruptions, habitat loss, and straining community resources. Urgent conservation is essential for rural communities and their natural heritage. The People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR), mandated by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, documents, and helps preserve local bio-resources along with traditional knowledge.
A total of 27 students across multiple post-graduate specializations including Botany, Zoology, and Environmental Science are enrolled in this course. The course will include classroom sessions and on-field activity in Sakhar and Gunjawane villages in Pune, providing hands-on experience as well as course credits for the students under the National Education Policy.
The program will commence from 1st Jan 2024 till 15th January 2024. It will include theory sessions conducted by SCF at the Fergusson College and on-field data-collection organized by the Raintree Foundation at Sakhar and Gunjawane villages. The course will offer practical exposure to the students of the respective departments, helping raise their awareness towards the ground reality of biodiversity management, and the importance of PBR in creating village management plans. While at its core the PBR is a document which contains comprehensive information on the locally available bio-resources, their medicinal use and traditional knowledge, it has the potential to be used to foster community stewardship for sustainable development, conservation effort and benefit-sharing.
Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Namita Dandekar, Chief Operating Officer, Raintree Foundation said, “Documentation of traditional knowledge is critical not just for understanding the community’s generational interaction with their natural resources and heritage but is also important for ensuring greater community participation and ownership of biodiversity conservation efforts. Through this experiential educational programme in partnership with Srushti Conservation Foundation and Fergusson College, Raintree Foundation will offer practical, on-ground exposure to students interested in working in environmental conservation, while also working with community resource persons to develop documentation of local oral traditions and knowledge that are rapidly fading away.”
Experts discuss the way ahead for India’s EV Industry at CII NexGen Mobility Expo
Localization of components to reach affordable technology landscape will be key to create sustainable ecosystem according to experts at a panel discussion on Electrifying Mobility: Conventional ICE v/s EV Innovation, Adoption and Promotion – Strategies & Initiatives at CII Next Gen Expo at Deccan College Ground .
The panel included Mr Arvind Goel, Chairman, CII WR Taskforce on Future Mobility & Chairman, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd., Mr Anand Kulkarni
Chief Product Officer & Head HV Programs, Product Line – Electric Vehicles Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, Dr Arup Basu Managing Director Greaves Cotton Ltd, Ms Sulajja Firodia Motwani Founder and CEO Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Ltd., Mr Rajnikant Behera, Executive Director RSB Transmissions (I), Mr Nitin Seth Chief Executive Officer – New Mobility and Mr Deepal Shah Country Manager, India BRUGGeCONNECT AG, Switzerland.
Swati Khandelwal Executive Editor , Zee Business moderated the session .
Mr Arvind Goel, Chairman, CII WR Taskforce on Future Mobility & Chairman, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd., said that any disruption in technology takes time. We are on track, but there is a lot of scope to move faster. It is also how do we localise our components. Each and every part should be localised to serve the purpose of the country. Export of components for electric vehicles would become far more important business in India.
Ms Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder and CEO Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions Ltd said that we have begun well, the government has put a strong EV policy roadmap and Fame 1 and Fame 2 have succeeded in generating demand. The momentum has begun and we need to work to create critical mass of EV adoption something like 20 to 25%, enough scale for companies to be viable. In next phase of policy government should continue with the incentives and industry has been requesting the government for fame 3 which will help customers to buy EVs at affordable price .
Mr Nitin Seth, Chief Executive Officer New Mobility said that there are three aspects which include energy, energy to hardware and solutions. We need to address how we source the energy. The solution today is driven by subsidies which is not sustainable in the long run. OEMs and other stakeholders have to work together and localise.
Dr Arup Basu, Managing Director Greaves Cotton Ltd, said that inflection point for us is where reach affordable technology landscape. At that point of time we don’t need any external push because the demand for mobility will be well established. If we have large options available there will be demand. In the next 3 to 4 years there will be significant shift
Mr Anand Kulkarni Chief Product Officer & Head HV Programs, Product Line – Electric Vehicles Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd said that we are not too far away when Electric Vehicle to get to parity with ICE vehicles ( in terms of range of 200km) . There is a high degree of innovation taking place and will drive down the costs and change the value price equation.
Addressing the issue of charging infrastructure Mr Deepal Shah Country Manager, India BRUGGeCONNECT AG, Switzerland said that instead of focussing on number of charging stations, we need to focus on achieving the objective with highest level of safety and reliability and accessible to everybody . We can lower down the numbers with fastDC charging infrastructure. We can be a leader in EV infrastructure.
Mr Rajnikant Behera, Executive Director RSB Transmissions (I),
said that the total cost of ownership is critical. Currently we are seeing a transition in the commercial vehicles, especially LCV.
Cummins India flags off the BSVI OBD II training vans to augment awareness and understanding of BSVI engines and emission norms
Committed to powering the success of its customers through innovation and dependability, Cummins India announced the flag-off of the BSVI OBD II training vans. The vans will offer hands-on education and understanding of BSVI OBD II technology to mechanics, technicians, vehicle body fabricators, truck drivers, and customers across OEM dealerships and authorized workshops. The vans were flagged off from the Cummins India Office campus by Mr. Rajendra Petkar, President and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors, Ms. Anjali Pandey, Chief Operating Officer, Cummins India, and Mr. Nitin Jirafe, Vice President, Engine Business, Cummins India along with leadership teams of Tata Motors and Cummins.
The training vans are equipped with Cummins BSVI engines (B5.6 and B6.7), cut sections of engine parts, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, and a single module after-treatment system. This provides an immersive experience for participants, who can see and touch the actual engines and learn about their components and operation. The vans also have LCD TVs that play training videos and information on Cummins BS-VI engines in rich audio-visual format.
In addition to serving as mobile classrooms, the vans also showcase the benefits of Cummins engines, after treatment systems, and an extensive range of offerings from Cummins for the on-highway aftermarket, such as Genuine Cummins parts, Saathi mobile app for truck drivers, Components Care Centers (CCC), and Vishwasji (a visual rendition of an expert embodying trust, experience, innovation, and expertise that resides in each one of the aftermarket sales and service members of Cummins India)
Speaking at the launch Nitin Jirafe, Vice President, Engine Business, Cummins India said, “At Cummins, it is our constant endeavor to create and deliver world-class customer experiences that demonstrate our vision of innovating for our customers to power their success. Currently, there are more than 2.4 Lakh Cummins BSVI-powered vehicles plying on Indian roads. These BSVI OBD II emission-compliant engines further reinforce our commitment toward powering a cleaner India.”
Mohan Ramachandran, Commercial Director, Engine Business and Aftermarket, Cummins India further added, “The training vans offer multiple benefits – educating the truck drivers about the engine, which helps improve fuel efficiency through better drivability; reducing the carbon footprint of the CVs in use; and last- mile reach, which helps deepen our connect with the stakeholders.”
With the BSVI OBD II Training Vans, Cummins India continues to empower individuals and strengthen the automotive ecosystem by equipping them with the knowledge and expertise needed to navigate the cutting-edge BS-VI technology era.
Since the launch of the first mobile training fleet in November 2019, the vans have successfully conducted cumulatively over 1300 sessions in 1640 cities, and have trained more than 20,000 technicians, vehicle body fabricators, and drivers, contributing to their knowledge and skill enhancement.
he CABL Pune Program, which builds on CII’s visionary work to tackle air pollution using evidence-based and multi-stakeholder collaborative approach, will be inaugurated on 10th August at MKSSS’s College of engineering for women
As per CII report in 2021, clean air can save India 3.5% GDP every year. Air pollution undermines the very image of cities as economic engines of modern society and most urban centres in India, 131 cities in total as per CPCB (2023), do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
We need to change this in Pune city which also features on this list but at the same time, it ranked as the second-best city to live in India according to the Ease of Living Index 2020. If the air quality in Pune deteriorates further, it is a big risk for the business continuity and attracting as well as keeping the talent pool on which the very industries thrive.
Pune is ranked as the seventh-largest metropolitan economy with a strong industrial base and has the sixth-highest income per capita in India. Already a leader in manufacturing, engineering and automotive industries, Pune has fast emerged as a new startup destination and Information Technology hub in recent years.
The CABL Pune Program aims to act as a complementary force to the Government of India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) to tackle pollution across the country in a time-bound manner. The CABL Pune Program, which builds on CII’s visionary work to tackle air pollution using evidence-based and multi-stakeholder collaborative approach, will be inaugurated on 10th August at MKSSS’s College of engineering for women, Pune by Shri Vikram Kumar Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation, Ms Jennifer Rumsey, Global CEO – Cummins Inc, Mr Ashwath Ram, Chairman, CII Cleaner Air Better Life; Managing Director, Cummins India, Ms Seema Arora, Deputy Director General, CII, Dr Madhuri Khambete, Principal, Cummins College of Engineering for Women (CCEW).
Programme is part of CII’s National Initiative ‘Cleaner Air – Better life’ whose vision is to provide cleaner air and a better quality of life to every Indian citizen by involving leaders and all concerned stakeholders to take concrete steps to curb air pollution across India.
To build traction for clean air among public and private agencies in Pune, a multi-stakeholder collaborative platform in the form of a ‘Clean Air Forum Pune’ is being set up. The Forum will have participation of all important stakeholders- Civil Society, Maharashtra Government Agencies, Educational & Research Institutions and Pune Industries for improving air quality in Pune.
The initiative will deliver innovative pilots, will drive voluntary commitments from stakeholders towards reducing air pollution, influence adherence to existing policies and scale advocacy towards newer policies. This new clean air initiative is a partnership between Pune Municipal Corporation and CII to position Pune as leader amongst all NCAP cities. CII initiative ‘Cleaner Air Better Life: Pune’ aims to improve air quality in Pune with a comprehensive set of interventions, management frameworks and decision support systems that enable leaders in Pune to meet this objective.
CII Green Business Centre organizes the 12th edition of GreenCo Summit
Adoption and implementation of green practices will significantly benefit the buyers, sellers and overall industry opined various experts. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) , Green Business Centre organized the 12th edition of ‘GreenCo Summit’ at Hotel Westin on 12th and 13th July 2023. The aim was the conference was to further advance the need & importance of Green initiatives in Indian industry and share the latest green concepts & technologies, thereby fostering and promoting sustainable models.
Eminent Scientist Dr. R.A Mashelkar delivered the key note address at the inaugural session. Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Pradeep Bhargava, Chairman Green Co Summit and Chairman,CII GreenCo Council, Mr Milind Wagle, Managing Director, Burckhardt Compression (India) Pvt Ltd, Vikram Kasbekar Executive Director, Hero MotoCorp Limited amongst others were present ot the inaugural session.
The theme of the conference was ‘Maximizing the Synergies of Net Zero, Circular Economy, and ESG’. The conference included thought-provoking panel discussion featuring industry experts sharing their experiences and insights on maximizing the synergies between net zero and circular economy practices for environmental sustainability.
A GreenCo annual report was released at the hands of dignitaries at the inaugural session along with the release of GreenCo Rating System Version IV guidelines and GreenCo Publication – An Enabler of Net Zero . Companies achieving or retaining Platinum+ and Platinum GreenCo rating were felicitated on the occasion.
Dr.Raghunath Mashelkar said that GreenCo is not just a rating system or award but a movement and is making enterprises move up the curve. Looking at their performance in terms of revenues and profit, it is clear that Green Growth also means profitable growth. He added that talent , technology and trust, public private partnership , integration, innovation and investment , speed, scale and sustainability , digitilization , decentralization and decarbonisation are the five principles for Green Growth.
Mr.Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre said that every company today has a green supply chain that has to be developed. It is not a humongous task to transform this into green supply consideration the fact that 80% of the buy value is from 20% of suppliers. The benefit to the buyer and seller is enormous, not just the saving but huge reduction in waste, benefits of recycling amongst others. He added that India is a vibrant economy, but when we grow we need a lot more energy. Green and Renewable energy will become crucial in the journey of net zero.
Dr.Pradeep Bhargava, Chairman Green Co Summit and Chairman , CII GreenCo Council in the theme address said that GreenCo as a concept looks at every conduct of enterprise with an integrated approach . At a time when impact of climate change is real and now, it is with this context that the topic is important.
As a part of World Environment Day programs , the Department of Environmental Studies, MIT-WPU Pune organised a panel discussion EARTH-SHASTRA on the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.
As a part of World Environment Day programs , the Department of Environmental Studies, MIT-WPU Pune organised a panel discussion EARTH-SHASTRA on the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. Experts included Rajashree Joshi, Program Director, BAIF Pune, Dr. Rahul Marathe Founder Director, Mitrakida Pvt. Ltd., Anil Gokarn, Director at ProEarth Ecosystems Pvt. Ltd. And Co-founder Director, My EcoSocial Planet, Alok Gogate Founder Director CEO, Kushaagra Innovations Foundation and Former Head of Operation SWaCH Pune, Amita Deshpande, Founder reCharkha. Dr. Milind Pande, Pro-Vice Chancellor,MIT-WPU, Dr. Prasad Kulkarni Faculty at the Department of Environmental Studies, MIT-WPU were present on the occasion along with students. A student club ‘Pritvi’- a student initiative for sustainable future formed under the leadership of MIT WPU students Shristi Pradhan, Shreyas Patnashetty and Shibani Singh was also inaugurated on the occasion.
Experts opined that waste management needs holistic understanding with focus on plastic waste and organic waste followed by sustainable solutions. We need to be aware about the reality of plastic and ensure it does not enter the environment. We need to be conscious about our lifestyle. Economic well being along with ecosystem wellbeing is necessary.
Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative (APCCI) organized various programs to mark ‘World Environment Day’.
Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative (APCCI) organized various programs to mark ‘World Environment Day’. It included cleanliness drives at various places including Bhide Bridge area, Karve Road, Vandevi Udyan, tree plantation program at Deccan College . Malhar Karwande, COO APCCI, Sathya Natarajan, Lead Volunteer APCCI, Shivam Singh, Volunteer APCCI led these initiatives along with various organizations, volunteers and students.
At Deccan College the initiative included butterfly habitat plantation and native fruit tree plantation with participation from Deccan College, ExploreIT, Symbiosis VimanNagar and GST officials and staff. Prof Pramod Pandey Vice Chancellor, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute was present on the occasion and participated in the initiative .
The cleanliness drive at Bhide Bridge saw enthusiastic participation from students of Association of African Students in India.
APCCI also participated in a cleanliness and plantation drive conducted at Hadapsar by PMC,Janwani, Indira College of Aircraft Engineering and Vishrantwadi Church Youth Group.
APCCI, Cummins India Foundation in association with the residents of Sanjay Vasahat organised a cleanup drive to educate the community about the importance of waste management .
The main aim of these drives was to create awareness about the importance of citizen engagement for environment protection and cleanliness.
In commemoration of World Environment Day, a pioneering Blue Economy Conclave was successfully hosted at the Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha’s Dr. B. N. College of Architecture
In commemoration of World Environment Day, a pioneering Blue Economy Conclave was successfully hosted at the Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha’s Dr. B. N. College of Architecture. The event, held in collaboration with the Maritime Research Center, Pune; SDGs Center for India, MKSSS’ Institute of Sustainability and Development Studies, and Plannogram, India, brought together national and international experts to deliberate on critical topics such as sustainable coastal management, innovations in the blue economy, geopolitical affairs, and climate resilience.
Distinguished speakers, policymakers, and experts gathered at the conclave to share their insights and shed light on the significant role of the blue economy in national development. The inaugural session featured Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member of NITI Ayog and former Director General of the DRDO, who emphasized the importance of the blue economy. Mr. Arjun Chowgule, representing Chowgule and Company, Goa, presented pioneering green initiatives in the shipbuilding industry.
Dr Anurag Kashyap said that to fully unlock the potential of the blue economy, collaboration and partnership among various stakeholders are crucial. Governments, private sector enterprises, research institutions, and coastal communities must work together, sharing knowledge, expertise, and resources, to build a thriving blue economy that benefits all.
Keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Ramesh Ramchandran, Founder Director of the National Center on Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), highlighted various strategies for ensuring sustainable coastal management of India’s coastal areas. Panel discussions throughout the event featured notable personalities, including IPS Mrinalini Shrivastava, Director of National Disaster Management Authority; Prof. Dr. Sergio Faias, President of Portugal’s National Fishing Docks Corporation; Amb. Anup Mudgal, Veteran Diplomat and FICCI’s Task Force Member on Blue Economy; Prof. Dr. Satheesh Shenoi, Chair Scientist at the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Mr. Praful Talera, senior industrial expert; and researchers such as Dr. Shrabana Barua, Prof. Piyush Girgaonkar, Ms. Divya Rai, and Prof. Anugrah Nagaich, who shared their valuable insights on various aspects of the blue economy.
Vote of thanks was given by Prof.Asmita Joshi, Executive Director, MKSSS’s Institute of Sustainability and Development studies, she conveyed that the knowledge shared and connections made during this event will continue to inspire and drive us toward a sustainable future for our oceans and water bodies. She added that the report generated from the deliberations and policies evolved will be submitted as contribution to C20 deliberations on the theme Habitat and Life under the overarching them LiFE
Pune Business 