New Delhi, June 5, 2025—  Urban Adda 2025 concluded on World Environment Day with a clarion call for urgent reforms in India’s urban transport, water systems, and environmental governance. The three-day event began on World Bicycle Day (June 3), celebrating clean mobility, and ended with expert-led discussions pushing for deeper decarbonisation across sectors. Hosted at the India Habitat Centre, the final day spotlighted the urgent need to shift from combustion to electrification as a non-negotiable path for Indian cities battling air pollution, traffic congestion, and climate vulnerabilities.

Memorandum of Understanding for Resources Lab

On June 5, 2025, in Delhi, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and Raahgiri Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Resources Lab aimed at mitigating dust pollution from roads and open areas in the National Capital Region (NCR). This lab will serve as a training and capacity-building hub for officials and stakeholders from NCR cities, equipping them with sustainable road design principles, dust pollution control techniques, non-motorized transport infrastructure, and strategies for environmental sustainability. Inspired by Gurugram’s Janpath model, the initiative targets measurable reductions in dust and particulate matter (PM), improved public health, and replicable models for climate resilience.

Session Spotlight: Driving Change – Catalysing Clean Transport in Indian Cities

The day opened with the launch of a joint study by ICCT India and IIT Roorkee, reviewing six major Indian lifecycle assessment studies on EVs. The study examined assumptions around energy use, grid carbon intensity, and real-world driving patterns to determine the true climate impact of electric vehicles.

Amit Bhatt, India Managing Director, ICCT, stated, “Avoiding combustion in cities must become a basic planning principle. This review helps Indian cities make decisions grounded in evidence, not assumptions.”

Sunitha Anoop, study co-author, outlined the three key findings:

– All studies agree BEVs offer the most emissions reduction potential, even with India’s current grid mix.

– Delaying action for a cleaner grid is counterproductive — ICE vehicles bought today will stay on roads for 15 years or more.

– Key factors like test cycle energy use, real-world correction, and grid emissions dramatically influence outcomes.

Delivering the keynote, Rajesh Verma, Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), shared stark figures:

“Between 1981 and 2021, the number of vehicles in Delhi-NCR increased by 21 times, while road infrastructure only doubled. This mismatch is choking our cities.”

He underlined that technology alone is not enough — enforcement and behaviour change are equally essential. Verma noted positive signs:

– The share of electric buses in Delhi’s fleet has risen to nearly 25%, with over 7,600 e-buses already deployed.

– The average number of ‘good’ AQI days has increased by over 30% in the last seven years.

– The number of ‘severe’ pollution days has dropped by almost a quarter in the same period.

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant warned of staggering economic and health impacts:

“Delhi becomes unlivable for three months a year. Air pollution costs us 6.3 years of life expectancy and nearly ₹100,000 crore — that’s 3% of GDP annually.”

He laid out a concrete agenda:

– All 2- and 3-wheelers to go electric within a year.

– All new taxis electric; replace existing fleets in 24 months.

– All school buses to be electric or retrofitted within 2 years.

– All brick kilns to shift to zigzag tech.

– Thermal power plants must install FGD and DSI units.

– SMEs must adopt electric boilers, powered by rooftop solar.

“We must leapfrog. Don’t invest in transition fuels or legacy tech—go electric, go now,” he said.

Session Spotlight: Public Transport Governance – Challenges and Opportunities

A pivotal session on “Public Transport Governance: Challenges and Opportunities” at Urban Adda 2025 underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of public mobility in Indian cities. The discussion emphasized robust governance, user-centric design, and a long-term vision, with significant insights shared on India’s broader clean mobility ambitions by Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries. Co-hosted by the Raahgiri Foundation and TRIP Centre, IIT-Delhi, the session was moderated by Mr. OP Agarwal, Fellow at NITI Aayog.

The panel convened to address the complex challenges and opportunities in public transport.

Dr. Hanif Qureshi provided a detailed overview of India’s strategy for sustainable transport: “Electric buses are a focus, with schemes supporting 14,000 government buses, and the National eBus Program targeting 50,000 by 2050, making India a global leader. The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for electric buses is around ₹50/km compared to ₹100-105/km for diesel, making electric mobility not only good for the environment but also economically sensible.” He also touched upon schemes for electric trucks and the importance of vehicle scrapping with a tradeable credit platform.

Prof. Geetam Tiwari, Emeritus Professor, TRIP Centre, IIT-Delhi, challenged conventional perspectives: “Congestion is not the problem we have to solve – that is a car-centric perspective. For trips less than 5km, the bicycle should be the mode of choice. This is a design problem.” She pointed to the lack of a long-term vision in bus procurement and the absence of an entity for integrated planning.

Water Security, Urban Ecology, and Infrastructure Governance

The day’s later sessions featured the launch of a Rainwater Harvesting Calculator and the Damdama Ecological Baseline Assessment Report, offering scientific tools for climate resilience and restoration.

Speakers emphasized the need for city-scale water stewardship, with strong integration of civil society, data platforms, and inter-departmental coordination. In the Public Transport Governance session, experts called for route rationalization, transparent financing, and gender-sensitive transit planning.

Urban Adda 2025: A Citizen-Focused Urban Transformation Platform

Over the course of three days, Urban Adda 2025 hosted 100+ speakers across 30 sessions, engaging over 300 participants, including ministers, civil servants, climate experts, citizen leaders, and youth.

The event began on World Bicycle Day (June 3) with Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya calling cycling “the solution of pollution.” Day 1 also saw Delhi’s Transport Minister announce that EV Policy 2.0 will be launched next month. Youth Adda on Day 2 energized the venue with civic ideas around equity, active mobility, and climate resilience.

The post “21-Fold Vehicle Growth, But Only Double the Roads”: Urban Adda 2025 Ends with a Call to Electrify, Enforce, and Reclaim Urban Spaces appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

Bengaluru, 05 June 2025 – Council for Green Revolution, a Hyderabad-based Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), has successfully raised approx. Rs. 69 lakhs on the NSE-SSE platform and has listed on June 4, 2025, on the eve of the globally significant World Environment Day as the 14th project listing on its social stock exchange platform (NSE-SSE). This also represents the listing of the first project working for the environment and climate action.

This project fund raising will support their “Young Youth Leadership Programme” enabling it to plant saplings, establish kitchen gardens and conduct climate education trainings with domain experts with an outreach and benefit to over 45,000 student earth leaders.

The successful fundraise marks a significant milestone for both Council for Green Revolution and the NSE SSE platform as it has attracted over 150 retail donors contributing to the issuance with as small as Rs. 1,000/- This is a testament to the SSE’s potential to unlock large pools of retail investment and democratise philanthropy.

NSE-SSE has recently enabled e-IPO via both ASBA and UPI mechanisms. Following the same, this ceremony also acknowledged and felicitated the efforts and initiatives of one of trading members – Fyers, which has championed this initiative by developing and enabling the UPI mechanism on NSE-SSE, resulting in over 50 organic donations in the current issuance. This will inspire and encourage other trading members to enable the UPI mechanism and donation seamlessly.

Speaking on this momentous occasion and on the impact of the project of Council for Green revolution, Shri Sriram Krishnan, Chief Business Development Officer, NSE elucidated, “In order to contribute to the vision of the Government of India to bring capital markets closer to the masses and to facilitate social inclusion through NSE’s SSE, the exchange platform under the guidance of SEBI has been taking steadfast and concrete steps to this effect. The listing of the Council for Green Revolution is a significant milestone, as it represents the first environment and climate action-focused initiative on the platform, reinforcing our dedication to sustainability and social impact”.

The post ‘Council for Green Revolution’ lists on NSE Social Stock Exchange (NSE-SSE) on the eve of World Environment Day appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

The proposed plant will be in proximity to Maxvolt’s existing manufacturing unit in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, which will help align the supply chain and seamless operational synergy between the two units. The initiative is part of Maxvolt’s long-term mission to reduce India’s dependency on imported lithium raw materials and close the loop on battery lifecycle management.

“Beyond innovation and quality compliance, sustainability demands accountability and responsible actions. On World Environment Day, we are proud to inform our stakeholders that we are strongly committed to building a circular economy through a path-breaking battery recycling infrastructure in addition to enhancing our annual production,” said Mr. Satendra Shukla, Chief Business Officer and CEO, Maxvolt Energy. “The upcoming facility will enable large-scale recovery of valuable materials, minimize environmental impact, and create a robust backend for India’s EV and ESS revolution.”

Maxvolt already runs a nationwide battery take-back and reuse programme, covering over 85% of India’s pin codes, and is among the few companies actively integrating battery repurposing into its business model. This latest expansion aligns with its ongoing Phase 2 growth strategy that also includes capacity augmentation and ESS battery production for solar and grid-scale storage projects.

“The future belongs to companies that innovate responsibly. Maxvolt is not only creating clean energy solutions but is also ensuring that these solutions do not become tomorrow’s waste,” added Mr. Vishal Gupta, Chairman and CTO, Maxvolt Energy. “Our upcoming plant will embody global best practices in battery recycling, making India self-reliant in critical energy materials.”

Backed by cutting-edge technologies such as Active Balancer Systems, Superior Thermal Management, and Smart Battery Control Mechanisms, Maxvolt achieved a revenue milestone of ₹107 crore in FY 2024-25 by working on its integrated sustainability model comprising production, reuse, and recycling. This futuristic strategy positions Maxvolt as a frontrunner in India’s clean energy ecosystem.

The post Maxvolt Energy Marks World Environment Day with Plans to Expand Lithium Battery Recycling Infrastructure appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

Shri Jha emphasized the coal company’s inherent responsibility towards ecological sustainability, urging departments to improve dust control, conduct thorough environmental impact assessments, and prevent water pollution, while advocating for safer drinking water for local communities. A heartfelt appeal was made for employees to plant trees in their children’s names, especially on birthdays, as a lasting legacy for future generations. The establishment of a plastic waste handling unit at Bankola was highlighted as a commendable initiative, with suggestions to expand such efforts along highways and in markets to promote community participation in waste management. Echoing the theme of World Environment Day 2025, Shri Jha stressed scaling up environmental efforts through a mission-driven approach, continuous innovation, and integrating eco-friendly practices into daily life, including the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign. The event culminated in a renewed collective commitment, inspiring purposeful action and reaffirming ECL’s dedication to leading in environmental responsibility and sustainable development.

The post ECL Celebrates World Environment Day with Commitment to Sustainability and Community Engagement  appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

·         Committed to Net Zero emissions by 2050

Bengaluru, 4^th June 2025: On World Environment Day, Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL), India’s only and the world’s leading transition metals, critical minerals, energy and technology conglomerate, announced that it has increased its renewable energy round-the-clock equivalent power capacity to 1.03 GW (gigawatt) through power delivery agreements. The company is on track to achieve 2.5 GW of renewable energy by 2030, towards the ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. The renewable energy projects include a mix of wind, solar and pump storage technologies. The 1 GW renewable energy will potentially enable Vedanta to mitigate more than 6 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. This is roughly equivalent to carbon sequestration by nearly 350 million trees annually.

Vedanta is India’s largest producer of energy transition metals and critical minerals with more than 4.5 million tonnes of annual production of aluminium, zinc, lead, silver, copper, nickel, ferrochrome and pig iron. Vedanta’s diversified portfolio of essential metals is instrumental in meeting the growing demand for renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicles, and advanced technologies.  With a growing portfolio of low-carbon products in Aluminium (Restora and Restora Ultra) and Zinc (EcoZen), Vedanta’s products are bolstering India’s clean energy ambitions.

Vedanta’s own decarbonization strategy works on the four levers of – renewable energy scale-up, switching to low-carbon fuels, energy and process efficiency, and carbon offsets. Vedanta has more than 350 high-impact environmental initiatives ongoing across various businesses.  Highlights of the company’s environmental performance include:

·         Utilisation of 2.61 Billion Units (BU) of renewable energy

·         Deployment of one of the country’s largest fleets of lithium-ion forklifts in aluminium production plants, integrated LNG powered trucks for logistics and India’s first battery operated vehicles in underground zinc mining

·         Utilised 44,000 tonnes of biomass, and has enabled the establishment of Punjab’s biggest torrefied bio-pellets manufacturing facility in Mansa (Bhatinda district)

·         Planted nearly 3 million trees since 2021 as part of the World Economic Forum’s 1 trillion trees movement

·         3 of Vedanta’s businesses are water positive: Hindustan Zinc, Cairn Oil & Gas, Sesa Iron Ore Business

·         3 business units are also single-use plastic free: TSPL, Cairn Oil & Gas and VGCB

Sharing her thoughts, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director – Vedanta Limited & Chairperson – Hindustan Zinc Limited, said, “Our integrated approach to resource management and sustainability is central to Vedanta’s vision of transforming for a sustainable future. As the Indian economy expands, Vedanta is undergoing a transformation that will support the rapidly growing needs of the economy. By expanding our production of critical minerals and investing in renewable energy, we are powering global efforts to combat climate change.”

Commemorating World Environment Day, Vedanta kicked off a mass plantation drive across Rajasthan, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Goa and other states, reinforcing its commitment to fostering environmental stewardship across its operations and beyond. The company organised a week-long series of engaging activities at its business units such as quizzes, drawing competitions, sapling distributions and ecofriendly cricket tournaments, aimed to foster environmental awareness and action among its stakeholders across its operational areas.

Vedanta has been rewarded with the prestigious (B) rating by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its excellent efforts in water security and climate change, demonstrating its strong commitment to sustainability. In addition, the company’s aluminium and zinc product portfolios are Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) verified, thereby offering transparent data on environmental footprint. Vedanta’s aluminium business is part of the international Aluminium Stewardship Initiative for responsible sourcing of raw materials and sustainable manufacturing.

Vedanta Limited is a global leader in critical minerals, energy and technology operating a diverse portfolio of world-class assets. It is the world’s largest integrated producer of zinc, the fourth-largest global producer of silver, amongst the world’s top aluminium producers, India’s only private oil and gas producer, and one of its largest private power producers. With an eye on the future, the company is strategically expanding its business portfolio by venturing into rare earths, other critical minerals, and renewable energy.

The post Vedanta secures 1 GW Renewable Energy Round-the-clock Power Delivery Agreements, on-track to achieve 2.5 GW by 2030 appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

Rourkela Steel Plant has successfully implemented a range of innovative measures to minimize its ecological footprint, mitigate pollution, and preserve precious natural resources. These initiatives not only contribute to a greener future but also ensure the highest standards of environmental compliance. Consistent water conservation efforts at RSP have led to a significant reduction in specific water consumption over the years. The successful commissioning of the Treatment System-1 under the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) Project has resulted in a noticeable reduction in fresh water drawl from the Tarkera Pump House. In 2024-25, the specific water consumption of water was an all time low of  2.98 m3/TCS. The order for Treatment System-2 has been placed, with implementation planned over the next 18 months, paving the way for even greater water efficiency at RSP.

To enhance energy efficiency and promote sustainable operations, Waste Heat Recovery Systems have been installed in Sinter Plants (SP) #3 and #2 at RSP for capturing waste heat from the sinter coolers and channeling it back into the production process. This initiative has led to a significant reduction in coke breeze consumption—by approximately 4 kg per ton of sinter in SP#3 and 2 kg per ton in SP#2—thereby contributing to both resource conservation and reduced carbon footprint.

To enhance the accuracy, transparency, and accountability in carbon intensity monitoring, RSP has developed and implemented a Carbon Intensity Assessment system integrated through ERP-SAP. This digital advancement has significantly strengthened data verification and streamlined the assessment process, marking a major step forward in RSP’s climate-conscious operational strategy.

Regular monitoring, sampling and analysis of various Environmental Parameters are also being carried out for taking corrective actions for continuous improvement. The monitoring stations are uplinked with the servers of State Pollution Control Board, Govt. of Odisha and Central Pollution Control Board, Govt. of India. The results are regularly analyzed and preventive actions are taken to minimize environmental pollution.

Among the noteworthy accomplishments of RSP is its significant reduction in carbon emissions through the adoption of cleaner technologies and energy-efficient processes. RSP has recorded significant improvements in various specific environmental parameters, including a reduction in CO2 emissions by 2.53% and specific water consumption by 2.98%, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship.

RSP has been widely recognized for its exemplary environmental practices, earning prestigious accolades such as the Kalinga Environment Excellence Award in the 5-Star Category, Greentech PCWR Excellence Award, and the Global Energy & Environment Foundation (GEEF) Global Environment Award 2024 in the Platinum Category. These honors reflect RSP’s deep commitment to sustainability, resource efficiency, and environmental stewardship across its operations.

Furthermore, RSP has undertaken extensive reforestation efforts, so far planting more than 52 Lakhs trees in and around its premises, thereby enhancing biodiversity and improving air quality. The green and clean ambience of the Steel City of Rourkela offers an eloquent testimony to RSP’s commitment to Mother Earth.

The post Our aim Green Steelmaking: RSP’s Pledge on World Environment Day appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

The post News18 Network launches social impact initiative ‘Project One Tree’, President extends support appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.