Work & Recognition

Work

1. Research Papers Publication & Presentations

1.1 Enhancing Informal Sector in Waste and Resource Management of India through ICT & Circular Economy

Click to access link at Town Planning Section, Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Pune.

Abstract: In COP26, the Government of India committed to net-zero emissions by the year 2070. With an increase in urbanization and changing consumption patterns, around 62 million tonnes (MT) of waste is generated in India per annum. Waste is collected (43MT), treated (12 MT) and disposed of in landfills (31 MT). According to sectoral greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 2018, the waste sector generates around 83.17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂e).

India can reduce emissions from the waste sector by incorporating information and communication technology (ICT) and circular economy (CE) concepts through reusing, reclaiming, and repairing. Integration of innovative technology and the CE model can augment the efficiency and transparency of waste management systems, and reduce or eliminate waste. In India, a competent waste management industry already exists in the form of the informal sector (waste pickers and repair market). Instead of focusing on high-cost recovery practices, India can empower, facilitate, and enhance the capacity of the informal sector by synergizing and linking the reuse and repair market with the use of ICT. This will lead to material reuse thus prolonging the life of materials and avoiding waste.

The current paper recommends leveraging the reuse and repair market for dry waste/materials such as building materials, textile, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), furniture, and dry recycling through mapping and evaluating the potential of the Indian CE, and creating a benchmark for developed countries, where the setup of such systems require major investments.

Keywords: Reuse, Repair, Informal Sector, ICT, Circular Economy 

1.2 Securing the Future of Mangroves in India, as an Adaptive Measure to Mitigate Climate Change Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

Abstract: Adapting to changing climate has become utmost important considering the current occurrence of frequent and intense extreme weather events all around the world. Other than that, rainfall has become erratic, temperature is increasing, sea level is rising and shifting climatic zones have become very common. Coastal communities are most vulnerable to climate change as their livelihoods are dependent on available natural resources where Mangroves play a key role. The Study wishes to establish importance of Mangrove ecosystem. It promotes Mangrove plantations as adaptive measure to mitigate climate change such as rising sea level and mitigate natural hazards such as Tsunami and loss of inland agriculture due to salinity ingress. Furthermore, it stresses on the needs of coastal population who may be vulnerable to become future climate refugees. By far, the scope is limited to valuation of Carbon Stock in the region which have happened due to the presence of the Mangrove, which can be later used to avail carbon benefits. 

India has a coastline stretching to 7,517 kms which is nearly half of its total land front line. It is most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. It is important to understand that our coastline needs natural barrier for protection which can only be provided by Mangroves. Hence efforts need to be put to regenerate the lost mangrove covers of India. The research has extensively focussed on evaluating the mangrove biomass to calculate Carbon Stock. The key findings have helped in bridging a formula which is a summation of variables from various plant type to year of plantations and loss of Carbon Stock due to anthropogenic activities. This study is just the beginning to understand and explore Mangrove ecology and their presence as adaptive measures to mitigate the climate impacts.

1.3 “Smart Approaches for Integrated Urban Water Management: Interlinking Lakes of Ahmedabad” in International Conference on Innovations in Sustainable Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems (ISWATS), Pune, organized by NEERI & Ecosan Services Foundation, April 21-23, 2016

Abstract: Ahmedabad, one of the rapidly growing city, has come up with the concept of Interlinking of Lakes. It has interlinked 10 lakes in Western Ahmedabad and there are 33 more in pipeline. Lakes are getting interlinked manually by laying down storm water pipes without watershed analysis. In Town Planning (TP) schemes, being implemented by Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), lack of integration with natural topography is seen. Integration of natural streams with surrounding land use should be done right at the planning stage, before designing any TP schemes. There is a need to not only restore water body but also integrate it with surrounding land use, which will solve water related issues and increase social and economic activity.

1.4 Strategies to promote renewable energy solutions in off-grid areas of India. 

Published at International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education. 

India has fifth largest power generation portfolio worldwide with power generation capacity of 329.20 GW (30 April 2017). Still, around 50% of India‟s rural population has little or no access to grid-based electricity and relies on kerosene as its primary source of lighting. States with highest number of underserved population are Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. Promoting renewable energy (RE) in off grid areas will not only solve electricity problem but also reduce climate vulnerability, increase adaptive capacity towards climate change and lead to social equity. The aim of this paper is to propose strategies to promote RE solutions in off-grid areas and recommendations to make RE in off-grid areas financially feasible and socially sustainable. Government of India (GoI) should restructure the sanctioning of subsidies and authorize private organizations for expediting the process. An independent “Technical Standards Committee” should be formed for determining technical standards, certification and accreditation of the equipments. It should also maintain “Monitoring and Evaluation System” to ensure funds are being used for the intended purpose. GoI should encourage and allocate funds for local manufacturing of Solar Home Systems (SHS) products. Standards and tariff structures should be introduced for feeding electricity into the central grid in „Draft Grid Integration Policy‟. Furthermore, Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) can play a key role in developing an instalment based financing scheme which reduces monthly cost of SHS to that of kerosene. Hence, efforts taken deliberately in addressing RE will help increase affordability and accessibility in off grid areas. Keywords : - Solar, RE, Microfinance, MFIs, DRE systems, Grid extension 

1.5 Integration of road transportation with Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs): Case of India

Research Paper presented at Regional Forum on Climate Change (RFCC) Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Societies: Bridging Science, Practice and Policy, 1-3 July 2015, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

India is the fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the world (2011). Energy sector contributes 58% of the net CO2 eq. emissions (2007), of this 87% is emitted from electricity generation while 13% is contributed by the transport sector. Road transport is the major emitter of GHGs. In India, current transport practices have placed private motorised vehicles ahead of people. This has resulted into an alarming increase in air pollution, congestion and road accidents. A policy or program based approach is the need of the hour to reduce growth of private motorised vehicles. NAMAs can provide such approach, depending on developmental mandates of the country, wherein support is provided in the form of finance, knowledge and capacity building from the developed countries. Under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), transport projects were highly neglected due to complexity and time duration. On the other hand, NAMAs are simple with respect to Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and provides multiple co-benefits ultimately leading to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Various policies/programs/projects such as Transit-oriented development, BRTS and MRTS are launched in different Indian states. These projects can be converted into NAMAs. Hence, this study explores the possibilities of NAMAs integration with the transport sector. 

Keywords: NAMAs; Transport; Co-benefits

1.6 Small ruminant value chain in India: Opportunities and Constraints

click to access link at Indian Journal of Economics and Development

Background/Objectives: To assess the importance of livestock (small ruminant) sector in employment generation and the role of markets in improving livestock value chain. Methods/Statistical analysis: The study is based on secondary data analysis. A need for a strong institutional mechanism to support small ruminant keepers and to improvise various activities in livestock value chain such as in Input, Production, Processing, and Distribution have been analysed. Findings: The small ruminant sector makes an important contribution to Indian economy, provides sustenance to rural population, and leads to poverty alleviation. Apart from having healthy breed of livestock and marketing, processing is also an important step in enhancing value chain in livestock sector. The state with highest production of meat is Uttar Pradesh (19.1 per cent) followed by Andhra Pradesh (15.2 per cent) and West Bengal (10.9 per cent).Revenue of minimum ₹. 11,350 crores will be lost in the state of UP, due to ban on meat exports. For clean meat production and environment protection it is imperative that all slaughter houses of the country are registered. Assistance is required to make the sector organised and increase accessibility to necessary inputs, services and finance. Improvements/Applications: Sensitisation of farmers on market demand of livestock is imperative to help realise better price in domestic market and will produce healthy pure breed goats for export. Linkages need to be created between goat farmers, processors, and exporters.

Keywords: Livestock, value chain, abattoir, goat, export

1.7 Case report on significane of formal and informal education in Disaster Prevention Preparedness & Mitigation

click to access link published in Examines in Marine Biology & Oceanography

A. A network of people in the community is important and their capacities should be build regularly to implement disaster management, prevention and risk reduction methods. The network should include members from vulnerable community including women, local NGO’s, government representatives and media.
B. Informal education system is used at different levels across the country; however duration and time interval for the implementation of these approaches should be carefully introspected. Regular monitoring and performance evaluation of informal approaches should be carried out in order to understand whether it is effective, properly outreached and addressed the need of the community.
C. Funds should be allocated more specifically for imparting informal awareness about disaster management in Primary Health Centers, Community Centers, Schools and other places where people congregate for community activities.
D. During emergency situation, ties and understanding should be formed between Inter-States to share resources. Furthermore, Inter-State exposure visits should be facilitated for learning from the experiences of other States.
E. Corporate sector should also get involved for dissemination of campaign in both formal and informal setting.
F. Various sets of resources should be developed for sharing of best practices as a source of resource material to be replicated and disseminated in local languages.

1.8 Editorial on Cost to Coastal and Marine Life

click on the link to access the journal on Examines in Marine Biology and Oceanography: Open Access

Coastal regions are unique, dynamic and ecologically sensitive regions where land and water meet. They are rich in biodiversity Coastal and estuarine ecosystems around the world cover only 6% of the global surface, yet they contribute almost 38% of the total estimated global value of ecosystem services. Currently, coastal and marine ecology is facing various human induced ecological challenges such as extreme changes in temperature, increase in sea level, erratic rainfall, shifting climatic zone, habitat degradation, mangrove and coral reefs degradation and destruction, overfishing, sewage disposal, oil spills and solid waste disposal with most destructive being plastic waste; leaving a detrimental and irreversible change to the natural resource.

Every natural resource has unique characteristics. Natural resources make important contributions to long-term economic performance and should be considered economic assets. A sustainable economy and environment can be achieved if there is sufficiently large stock of the renewable resource (such as fish or forests) to generate a flow that can be sustained over time. Adapting to changing climate has become utmost important considering the current occurrence of frequent and intense extreme weather events all around the world. Regulations by government can control environmental pollution and degradation but more than regulations its common man's initiatives and will to make our coasts and marine life safe and pollution free!

2. Photographs & Videos Published
2.1 Photograph selected for The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), “My Resilient City”, Photo Contest, July, 2016
This photo is taken in Meghalaya, where it depicts plants are grown in a green house under controlled climatic parameters. Green house based plantation will prove a good solution for the sustenance of plants towards adverse climatic conditions in future. Read in Detail: https://www.facebook.com/TERIIN/photos/a.399867253376755.109608.135666406463509/1323079074388897/?type=1&theater

2.2 Two panoramic entries, a Collage and a Poem selected for Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA) Conference, Bangalore Chapter, 22-23 Jan, 2016
2.2.1 “Water and Society – A Story of Mutual Coexistence”
Water is an integral part of every life form’s existence right from birth till death! It is undeniably touching our lives everywhere. Life is unimaginable without it. Various examples in which society is linked to water are drinking, cooking, farming, performing rituals, recreational activities, generation of electricity, and even transport etc. Read in Detail: http://www.isolabangalore.org/#!Water-SocietyA-story-of-mutual-coexistence/ccv4/5663e4240cf203d325ec2ee2


2.2.2 “जल ही जीवन”

Read in Detail: http://www.isolabangalore.org/#!जलहीजीवन/ccv4/5663dbd80cf212bd6be83f2a

Climate change and manmade change have attributed to a kaleidoscopic image of overlaps where it's difficult to estimate what has lead to the other? This cyclic occurrences have resulted in a creation of a hostile physical environment which is neither safe for habitat nor mankind! Video impressions here showcase how livelihood and environment are co-related in and around Chilika region and any development which has to come should be able to respect that delicate bondage! 

2.3 Impressions of Chilika

Received first prize at Center for Research in Ecology Environment and Social Sciences-International Journal of Environment and Natural Sciences (CREESS-IJENAS)

3. Consultancy Projects 

3.1 Raising funds Rs. 2 lakhs for Odisha based NGO, Aaina for their project “Sending 200 most vulnerable children to School”, 7 Sep - 5 Nov, 2016
DRS team developed the campaign strategy, flyers, posters, online campaign page, social media calender and list of donor base related to project.

3.2 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing for All)

DRS Team in collaboration with Comtech Info Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Srinagar, J&K is working on the preparation of housing for All Plan of Action (HFAPoA) for 12 selected town/cities of Jammu region. Major responsibility of DRS Team is to compile the data, carry out analysis, work on reports and prepare a plan of action for all towns of Jammu region.

Recognition

One of the partners of the firm, Ms. Deepa Gupta was recognized as “Climate Change Awareness Champion” by the Climate Centre for Cities (C-CUBE) for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the year 2022. 

Click here for C-CUBE, NIUA