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The Assam Secretariat on Sunday became the country's first green state government headquarters with the inauguration of a 2.5 MW solar power project on its campus, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Installed at a cost of Rs 12.5 crore, the grid-connected rooftop solar power plant will save Rs 30 lakh in electricity bills every month, he said while addressing the official programme here. "Today, we took a giant leap forward in our goal to become a Net-Zero Govt, as I inaugurated a 2.5 MW Solar Project in Janata Bhawan, making #AssamGreenSecretariat, India's first Green Secretariat," Sarma said in a post on X after the function. From now onwards, the secretariat complex will run entirely on solar power, resulting in savings of Rs 30 lakh every month on electricity bills, he added. The Chief Minister also said the government has decided that all official complexes will be fitted with solar panels, beginning with the medical colleges and universities across the state. The power
The absence of a building permit system is cited as one of the primary reasons for the extensive damage to houses in the subsidence-hit area of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, according to a post-disaster needs assessment conducted by government agencies. Starting January 2, a number of houses and civil structures in an area located near Joshimath-Auli road began to display major cracks due to land subsidence, prompting the relocation of 355 families. According to local residents, land subsidence had been noticed over several years but became increasingly severe from January 2 to January 8. A 35-member team consisting of professionals from the National Disaster Management Authority, UN agencies, Central Building Research Institute, National Institute of Disaster Management, and other agencies conducted a "Post Disaster Needs Assessment" from April 22 to April 25 to assess the damage caused and to identify the assistance required for the long-term recovery and reconstruction of the affecte
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday urged not to treat the human rights issue in isolation and sought "equal attention" to nursing the natural environment, lamenting that Mother Nature has been "deeply wounded" by human indiscretions. Addressing a gathering at the biennial conference of national human rights institutions of the Asia Pacific at Vigyan Bhawan, she also said the love for nature should be rekindled to conserve and enrich it "before it is too late". The event is being organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) from September 20-21. Murmu said she looked at the list of conferences the forum previously held and expressed her happiness that this is the first in-person sitting in the post-Covid phase. "I am told that the conference is being attended by nearly 100 foreign delegates," she said. Murmu also underlined the degradation the natural environment is facing. "Human beings are as good a creato
Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Patil on Monday said the impact of degrading biodiversity and environment are becoming increasingly apparent globally. Speaking at the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting in Mumbai, the minister said it is imperative for G20 countries to collectively address the interrelated matters of climate change and biodiversity loss through joint international efforts. On the importance of involving rural communities in protecting the environment, Patil said, To attain sustainable development, it is crucial that we focus not only on the urban centres but also on the well-being and progress of our rural communities. Environment Secretary Leena Nandan asked the G20 countries for their continued participation to ensure inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive outcomes as the Working Group moves closer towards the last leg of the proceedings under the India Presidency, an official release said. Talkin
Vedanta on Thursday said it has signed a pact with TERI to accelerate its Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Vedanta plans to invest around Rs 200 crore over the next five to 10 years on R&D and sustainability initiatives to promote and build a sustainable ecosystem. "Vedanta... on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TERI... to forge a long-term partnership and work in collaboration on creating a sustainable world by leveraging both the organizations' strength in the ESG space," Vedanta said in a statement. With a mission to promote 'Sustainable Use of Resources for a Resilient Planet through Transformative Actions', the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS). The partners will work towards building a sustainable future by engaging with governments, civil society and peers to promote a larger ecosystem for climate change, resource efficiency, and circularity, harnessing cleaner energy, ...