INDIA GREEN NEWS: $50 Million Green Bond for Clean Energy; About 35k Solar Water Pumps Installed; Temperatures Rise in India
India Green News is a selection of news highlights about environmental and energy issues in India.
Week of August 1 -7, 2015
Compiled by Ariel Cooper
ENERGY
Yes Bank raises close to $50 million green bond
MUMBAI: India's private sector lender, Yes Bank has raised $ 49.2 mn or Rs 315 crore from by International Finance Corporation, the private sector financing arm of the World Bank. The funds are raised for a term of 10 years at 8.95%.
A statement issued by IFC said that Yes Bank will invest the proceeds from these bonds in energy efficiency projects and renewable energy projects mainly in the solar and wind sectors.
"Addressing climate change is a priority for IFC in India, and the green 'masala bond' demonstrates the powerful role of capital markets in mobilizing international savings to help close the climate finance gap," said Jingdong Hua, IFC Vice President and Treasurer....
(Economic Times - August 4, 2015)
About 35K solar water pumps installed in India
As many as 34,941 solar water pumps have been installed so far in the country as against the 1,38,267 sanctioned , Parliament was informed today.
"A total of 1,38,267 solar pumps have been sanctioned throughout the country and 34,941 pumps have been installed," New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
Goyal said that the ministry has issued supplementary guidelines for one lakh solar pumps during 2014-15 fiscal and Rs 353.50 crore was released to various agencies....
(Business Standard - August 3, 2015)
CLIMATE CHANGE
Environment, Climate Change Pose Great Challenges, Says President Pranab Mukherjee
New Delhi: Environment and climate change are the most important issues and pose great challenges that need to be collectively responded to by people else their existence might be in danger, President Pranab Mukherjee said in Delhi today.
Addressing a group of probationers of Indian Forest Service (2014 Batch), he said practical and innovative solutions are to be found for forming policies and solving problems which they will be confronting.
He said that in today's world, environment and climate change are most important issues and pose great challenges....
(NDTV - August 3, 2015)
Mean temperature in India has risen by 0.6 degree Celsius in last 110 years: Government
NEW DELHI: With the mercury rising across the globe due to warming of the planet, mean temperature in India has increased by 0.6 degree Celsius over the last 110 years, the government today said.
Heatwave and Severe Heat Wave were also recorded more in the last decade as compared to last four decades and the phenomenon was "abnormally" high in 2015, which witnessed 2,037 deaths across the country....
(Economic Times - August 5, 2015)
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & GOVERNANCE
Action soon against industrial units polluting Ganga: Govt
NEW DELHI: Government has asked the pollution control boards to initiate action against industrial units discharging contaminated effluents in river Ganga, Union Minister Uma Bharti informed Lok Sabha on Thursday.
She said the government has asked the pollution control boards to initiate action against such industrial units, in a bid to stop untreated water from flowing into the Ganga.
During the question hour, the water resources, river development and ganga rejuvenation minister said her ministry would soon finalise a plan in this regard and send it to the cabinet for approval....
(Times of India - Aug 6, 2015)
Indian Railways to become greener with clean energy initiative
New Delhi: Describing the railways as a naturally green mode of transport, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday said the sector is looking to become "greener" by adopting renewables as a major source of energy.
"Railway is naturally a green mode of transport...we want to make it further greener by adopting renewable energy as a major source of energy for railways," Prabhu said while addressing a conference here on solar energy opportunities in the rail sector.
"Indian Railways is the single biggest consumer of energy and hence it is imperative that railways must look towards alternative sources of energy," he said....
(Hans India - August 5, 2015)
Note: The linked articles and excerpts in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the India Initiative or of the Natural Resources Defense Council.