atavaran works on socio-environmental issues through creating simple, replicable models to mitigate problems. One aspect of Vatavaran’s work is managing garbage through the so-called Cleaning Brigade Scheme. The scheme is scientific, employment-generating, and resident-friendly. Cleaning brigades manage solid waste for at least 2.5 million residents in Delhi. The working principle is that since each of…
The renewable energy ministry has sought a 10-fold increase in fund outlay for the next five years. The ministry estimates that Rs 40,000 crore will be required to ramp up its capacity to 30,000 MW by 2017. India’s present renewable energy capacity is over 20,000 MW, of which wind farms generate 14,000 MW, with the…
In an interesting research, a team from Harvard Business School found that companies with gender-inclusive leadership teams contributed, on average, more charitable funds. The team had examined how corporate leadership and organizational structure influence corporate social responsibility (CSR) by utilizing the most visible form in corporate philanthropy. They focused specifically on how women leaders might…
Multinational retailers such as GAP, Walmart, C&A, H&M, Primark, Mothercare and Tesco have instructed their Indian suppliers to stop sourcing raw material from textile mills that employ girls under the so-called Sumangali system, a contractual arrangement that labour watchdogs allege involves unfair practices and even amounts to bonded labour. The development could have serious implications…
The Child Rights Index (CRI) published by NGO HAQ: Centre for Child Rights has placed Kerala and Karnataka at the top and Arunachal Pradesh at the bottom in protecting rights of children. The country’s first national child rights index is based on government data, both central and state. In the overall CRI, Kerala is on…
By the end of November, 24 companies are likely to resume mining in their respective areas as a temporary sanction on their operations has been lifted by the Supreme Court (SC). According to reports, Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has cleared the names of 24 mining companies for restarting operations. The committee was appointed by the…
When archaeologists recently announced that they had just discovered the ape-like remains of our primitive ancestors in South Africa, it was hailed as homo sapiens’ ‘missing link’ – the genetic bridge between modern humans and their older, less evolved predecessors. Yet, perhaps it was not the only missing link to be found in 2011. As…
A comprehensive report, published in the open-access journal Public Library of Science: Neglected Tropical Diseases, showcases the disproportionately high burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in India and South Asia. These diseases of poverty continue to plague the approximately 1.5 billion people living in the region, representing almost a quarter of the global population. Two-thirds…
Introducing the upgraded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design 2011 (LEED 2011 for India) rating system for green buildings, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah made an appeal for developing new technologies and materials at lower prices so that green homes become accessible for the common man. The backdrop is the…
Monitoring carbon is a key corporate social responsibility issue. Carbon management and reduction, particularly within the built environment, construction and facilities management sector should be seen not only within sustainability/environmental terms but also as a lens to understanding wider CSR impact. In ‘Taking stock of your company’s social impact’, part of the Guardian Sustainable Business…
