Latest news with #ManjinderSirsa
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi to throw 50-lakh innovation challenge to retrofit BS-IV trucks
Delhi govt is launching a research and development exercise through a competition to encourage retrofitting innovations in line with Commission for Air Quality Management 's directive banning BS-IV heavy vehicles from entering the city starting Nov 1. The govt plans to award ₹50 lakh to people or companies that develop effective technology to upgrade BS-IV trucks to BS-VI standards. It will also invest in research and innovation for converting diesel cars into electric vehicles. The initiatives aim to reduce pollution and support cleaner transportation solutions in Delhi, said environment minister Manjinder Sirsa . The selected projects will initially be given ₹5 lakh, and the technology that qualifies for use and gets the certification from National Physical Laboratory will win ₹50 lakh, Sirsa said, adding that the govt wants to encourage research and development and provide talented minds with a platform. He noted that currently, retrofitting cars into electric vehicles was a costly exercise. "If people come up with cheaper innovations, the govt is planning to consider them." The managing director of NGO International Council on Clean Transportation, Amit Bhatt, said, "Retrofitting engines with after-treatment devices can be technically possible, but the associated costs could be high." The govt will organise Industrial Ideathon 2025 in Aug, aiming to source innovative, student-led solutions to drive industrial growth in the city. Organised by Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation on behalf of the industries department, it is being co-hosted by Netaji Subhas University of Technology. Sirsa said the event was part of the govt's mission to bring young innovators into the heart of industrial policymaking. "Ideathon reflects our government's commitment to digital transformation, youth empowerment and inclusive entrepreneurship." Open to over 120 interdisciplinary student teams from around 30 colleges and universities across Delhi, the competition will accept registrations from July 14 to Aug 4 on Teams of two-four students, at least one of them a woman, will participate. It invites solutions across four sectors-logistics and supply-chain management challenges, tech solutions for ease of doing business for startups and entrepreneurs, frontier technologies to revamp industrial ecosystem, and innovations to strengthen the micro, small and medium enterprises sector.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi to throw 50-lakh innovation challenge to retrofit BS-IV trucks
New Delhi: Delhi govt is launching a research and development exercise through a competition to encourage retrofitting innovations in line with Commission for Air Quality Management's directive banning BS-IV heavy vehicles from entering the city starting Nov 1. The govt plans to award Rs 50 lakh to people or companies that develop effective technology to upgrade BS-IV trucks to BS-VI standards. It will also invest in research and innovation for converting diesel cars into electric vehicles. The initiatives aim to reduce pollution and support cleaner transportation solutions in Delhi, said environment minister Manjinder Sirsa. The selected projects will initially be given Rs 5 lakh, and the technology that qualifies for use and gets the certification from National Physical Laboratory will win Rs 50 lakh, Sirsa said, adding that the govt wants to encourage research and development and provide talented minds with a platform. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi He noted that currently, retrofitting cars into electric vehicles was a costly exercise. "If people come up with cheaper innovations, the govt is planning to consider them." The managing director of NGO International Council on Clean Transportation, Amit Bhatt, said, "Retrofitting engines with after-treatment devices can be technically possible, but the associated costs could be high." The govt will organise Industrial Ideathon 2025 in Aug, aiming to source innovative, student-led solutions to drive industrial growth in the city. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Shop Sale Libas Undo Organised by Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation on behalf of the industries department, it is being co-hosted by Netaji Subhas University of Technology. Sirsa said the event was part of the govt's mission to bring young innovators into the heart of industrial policymaking. "Ideathon reflects our government's commitment to digital transformation, youth empowerment and inclusive entrepreneurship." Open to over 120 interdisciplinary student teams from around 30 colleges and universities across Delhi, the competition will accept registrations from July 14 to Aug 4 on Teams of two-four students, at least one of them a woman, will participate. It invites solutions across four sectors—logistics and supply-chain management challenges, tech solutions for ease of doing business for startups and entrepreneurs, frontier technologies to revamp industrial ecosystem, and innovations to strengthen the micro, small and medium enterprises sector.
Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi's clear air project aimed at providing safe zone: Govt
The Delhi government aims to create a safe outdoor space for citizens to go on morning walks during the peak pollution season, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Sirsa said on Sunday, during an inspection of Nehru Park, where the government is planning to install 150 outdoor air purifiers in a pilot project. Delhi ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Pavesh Kumar inspect Nehru Park on Sunday. (Arvind Yadav/HT) The project is directed at determining if the air quality index of a particular location can be lowered, officials said. If the study confirms both impact and practicality, similar 'Clean Air Zones' could be considered at Connaught Place, Khan Market and other high-footfall locations, they said. 'AQI (air quality index) is a big challenge in Delhi. We are conducting a study in Nehru Park…We are trying to determine if we can lower the AQI in a particular location. If this project is successful, this area will have nearly 50% lesser AQI than the rest of Delhi. When pollution is bad, doctors ask everyone to not go outside, in such a situation there should be an area where people can come for a walk or jog,' Sirsa said. Sirsa said the devices—which can be up to nine feet tall—that primarily filter out particulate matter having a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5), will be spread across the 85-acre park and maintain 'good' air quality even during peak pollution periods. Each purifier will cover approximately 600 square metres and requires approval from the New Delhi Municipal Council before installation can begin, Sirsa had said on Friday. Delhi grapples with hazardous air pollution levels that peak in the transition to winter. The move to install air purifiers follows the closure of two expensive smog towers that authorities deemed ineffective, after the then Aam Aadmi Party government touted them as a first-of-its-kind solution to the city's air crisis. The new project will be carried out through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnership with private firm Umeandus, which has tested the technology at four locations, including Anand Vihar, at a petrol pump in Jangpura, New Moti Bagh and outside the Taj Ambassador hotel. Officials said each machine costs around ₹ 5 lakh and the project will be funded through CSR initiatives. The initiative forms part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's broader air quality strategy, including its manifesto promise to halve Delhi's pollution levels by 2030. Sirsa said, 'We are doing a lot of things to lower the AQI in Delhi. Very soon, Delhi will also see artificial rain, the efforts of which have been ongoing for nearly 10 years. Our government will achieve that in about four months.' Earlier this month, the government also released a 'Mitigation Action Plan', featuring over 1,000 water sprinklers, 140 anti-smog guns, cloud seeding experiments, audits of pollution under control centres every six months, installation of automatic number plate recognition cameras at Delhi's border points for end-of-life vehicles, and inducting 5,000 additional electric buses. A release from Sirsa's office said: 'This proposed initiative is part of Delhi's broader Environmental Action Plan 2025 which includes reviving long-pending artificial rain projects, daily mechanical sweeping, mist spraying, and enforcement of construction norms. Anti-smog guns have been made mandatory for large construction sites, and real-time compliance monitoring is underway. Legacy landfill bio-mining is actively progressing at Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla, aiming for permanent removal of hazardous waste.' The field inspection at Nehru Park was conducted by Sirsa and Public Works Department (PWD) minister Pravesh Verma along with officials from the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and PWD. 'Since we have formed the government, our cabinet minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and his department have taken many steps in lowering pollution and AQI in Delhi. Road infrastructure is also important for air quality. We have also requested a funding of ₹ 1,000 crore from the central government for this. We hope this fund will soon be released for new roads and flyover projects,' Verma said on Sunday.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt's innovation challenge for air pollution control devices on public transport
New Delhi: Delhi govt is set to launch an open challenge for innovators to design devices that reduce air pollution from atop moving buses and trucks, environment minister Manjinder Sirsa said on Thursday. He said govt plans to transform transportation from being part of the pollution problem to part of the solution by having pollution-curbing devices atop vehicles. Govt will soon introduce a scheme inviting people and startups to submit ideas for devices that can be mounted on the rooftops of public buses and truck-mounted vehicles to extract pollutants from the air. "Indians are, by their very nature, innovative," Sirsa said. "However, their innovation is often subdued by red tape," he said. A scientific panel will assess the ideas on efficacy, cost-effectiveness and power efficiency. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi "Many people approach us to show their designs. But there does not exist any method to evaluate the efficacy of the designs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown us the way. Under his guidance and the leadership of CM Rekha Gupta, we are committed to promoting entrepreneurship and innovation and curbing pollution," Sirsa said. tnn
