Latest news with #RahulPatil
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Despite flyover construction ending, Silk Board in Bengaluru struggles with air pollution
Bengaluru: The Central Silk Board junction, notorious for traffic snarls, is now battling another crisis — alarming air pollution levels. Despite the completion of a double-decker flyover meant to ease congestion, pollution in the area remains dangerously high. Statistics from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) show a sharp decline in air quality over the past few years. While the June and July 2025 data are awaited, the May numbers have already raised concerns. On May 22, an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 192 was recorded at Silk Board — close to the "poor" category. India classifies AQI from 101-200 as moderate, but several countries, including the US, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and the European CAQI (Common Air Quality Index) system, classify this range as poor. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru On Oct 25, 2024, AQI in the area spiked to 283, signalling serious health risks. For comparison, Delhi and Gurugram — India's most polluted cities — routinely cross 200 between Oct and Feb. Though the Silk Board area hasn't reached the levels of the National Capital Region, AQI figures consistently above 100 in the first five months of 2025 are worrisome. These levels persist even after the flyover construction ended, largely due to traffic congestion and vehicle emissions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Took 1 Teaspoon Before Bed – Her Belly Was Gone in a Week Hollywood News | USA Click Here Undo "We don't have strong restrictions on what kinds of vehicles run here. A huge chunk of old, non-BS-6 vehicles are still on the roads, including black autos," said Aishwarya Sudhir, a Bengaluru-based air pollution researcher. She also pointed to the construction boom as a major contributor. "If you drive towards HSR, you'll see many buildings coming up. Construction disrupts air quality and adds to pollution." At Silk Board, the dominant pollutant is PM10 (particulate matter 10), mainly from dust, industrial smoke, construction, and combustion. Though PM2.5 is considered more harmful, doctors warn that PM10 also poses health risks, especially for those with heart or lung conditions. "PM10 still poses a risk in high concentrations or with long-term exposure. Many PM10 samples contain PM2.5 too," said Dr Rahul Patil, a cardiologist. The World Health Organization recommends "a 24-hour PM10 limit of 45 μg/m³". In May, Silk Board recorded an average of 109.3 μg/m³, with a peak of 238.1 μg/m³. Bengaluru has only 11 continuous air quality-monitoring stations, making detailed tracking difficult. With Metro construction ongoing and vehicle numbers rising, experts say relief is unlikely anytime soon. GFX AIR QUALITY INDEX DATA (HSR Layout, near Central Silk Board monitoring centre) * Jan 20, 2025: 153 * April 19, 2025: 154 * May 31, 2025: 157 * March 27, 2025: 163 * Feb 14, 2025: 182 * May 16, 2025: 191 * May 22, 2025: 192 * Oct 25, 2024: 283 (Highest in last 12 months) GFX 2 AQI categorisation Good: 0 – 50 Satisfactory: 51 – 100 Moderate: 101 – 200 Poor: 201 – 300 — Source: KSPCB
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MSME hubs to cut carbon emission by 4mn+ tonnes
Mumbai: As the world marked World MSMEs (Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises) Day on Jun 27, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from India's MSME sector are projected to increase from approximately 30 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent (MtCO₂e) in 2016–17 to over 72 MtCO₂e by 2029–30, more than doubling in just over a decade, data from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) highlights. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Recognising this, Maharashtra's State Energy Efficiency Action Plan (SEEAP) has set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions by up to 55.15 million metric tonnes of CO₂ by 2031 through comprehensive energy efficiency and de-carbonisation measures. The plan, said Asar, a social impaction advisory forum focused on environmental and social issues, emphasises a cluster-based approach—targeting hubs like Pune Forging, Kolhapur Foundry, and Bhiwandi Textile—using mandatory energy audits, technology upgrades, and policy incentives to maximise energy savings and achieve emissions reductions of over 4.05 million metric tonnes of CO₂ by 2031. This emission reduction will be equivalent to taking nearly 9 lakh cars off the road for a year or eliminating the annual emissions from burning 2 million tonnes of coal, Asar pointed out. The state accounts for 17% of all MSMEs in India, with over 82.63 lakh registered units engaged across a range of sectors, including automotive components, general engineering, electronics, textiles, and metals. These enterprises generate approximately 40% of the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and provide livelihoods to over 1.3 crore people. However, many of these units, especially those in metal casting and foundry operations (melting and casting metal for vehicles, machinery, and infrastructure), continue to rely on high-emission fuels such as coke and coal, and have yet to fully benefit from energy efficiency tools or emissions tracking mechanisms. In Maharashtra, an estimated 8,259 MSME units are operating in the secondary steel and foundry sector alone. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Collectively, they are estimated to consume 11.8 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in energy annually and emit 58 MtCO₂, as per data reported through Sameeeksha, India's energy efficiency platform for MSMEs. "Foundries are indispensable to India's manufacturing economy, which boasts the world's second-largest foundry sector, but they're also incredibly hard to decarbonise," said Rahul Patil, chairman, Indian Institute of Foundrymen - Kolhapur.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Time of India
Man gets 10-yr RI for rape of woman he met on shadi site
Mumbai: Taking note of the rising cases of women being cheated on matrimonial sites, a sessions court recently convicted and sentenced a 44-year-old man, Jayendra Moranjan, also known by aliases such as Chetak Bhavsar, Sachin Misal, and Rahul Patil, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. He was found guilty of repeatedly raping a nurse on the false promise of marriage and cheating her of Rs 1.5 lakh in 2016. Three other victims deposed during trial, helping nail him. The nurse, who was divorced when she met the accused on the matrimonial site, also became pregnant and aborted the foetus after discovering that he was a cheat. However, refusing to grant the maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the judge noted that the accused was not previously convicted and was not a "person beyond repair". Additional sessions judge SJ Ansari also fined the accused Rs 75,000. This amount will have to be paid to the victim as compensation. "As regards the imposition of fine, I am of the view that considering the amount of money which the accused cheated the victim out of, he, in spite of being in jail for years, i.e., from July 19, 2016, cannot be let off only with the imposition of a bare minimum fine. This is because the interests of the victim are also to be protected," the judge said. The victim, a nurse and divorced since 2004, registered on matrimonial sites in 2016 to seek a new partner. In June 2016, she received an email from the accused, who introduced himself as 'Rahul Patil' and a project head at a company. Their initial interactions quickly escalated. On June 19, 2016, after expressing mutual liking, the accused insisted they travel to Shirdi, claiming he made an oath to visit the Saibaba temple with his fiancée once his marriage was settled. The victim, believing in his intentions to marry her, accompanied him. Upon reaching Shirdi late on June 19, 2016, they checked into a lodge. There, the accused forcibly established physical relations with the victim, assuring her that their marriage was imminent. Distraught but relying on his promise, she did not report the incident. The pattern repeated the following night in Shirdi after they visited the victim's sisters in Nashik, where the accused also discussed their marriage. The fraudulent acts extended beyond physical assault. On June 23, 2016, while watching a film at a mall, the accused secretly removed the victim's ATM card from her purse, which had the PIN number written on its cover. Between June 24 and July 5, 2016, the accused fraudulently withdrew a total of Rs 1.5 lakh from her account using the stolen card.
