<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50919789.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" />Bangalore could become the <keyword id="18974" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="fitness">fitness</keyword> capital of our country, or so it seems. It has emerged as the most fitness conscious city in India followed by Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, e-commerce portal <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Snapdeal+">Snapdeal </a>findings revealed recently. 
 
The report highlights how healthy living and fitness has become a top priority for Indian urban consumers. Believe it or not, people are buying products in the Fitness category triple the times in 2015 as compared to the year before. And, sale of fitness bands has also increased by more than 10 times during the year! 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50920052.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> The company claims it has sold around 50,000 units of <keyword id="2362961" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="fitness-equipment">fitness equipment</keyword> every month on an average in 2015. The top fitness products bought were home gym (weights), abdominal exercisers and twisters, sauna belts, and exercise cycle. 
 In addition, with the growing concern over rise in the pollution levels, shoppers also found value in spending for air masks and <keyword id="297063" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Purifiers">air purifiers</keyword>, according to the findings. Even as the average selling price of air purifiers doubled from Rs 6000 in 2014 to Rs 12000 in 2015, the demand was seen growing by 5 times indicating a growing awareness and preference for advanced features over price. 
 
Eating healthy has also been on the shoppers’ mind in 2015, as air fryers saw a 4 fold surge in sale and Ayurveda &amp; Organic products emerged as a popular upcoming category. The top five buying cities for Ayurveda &amp; Organic products were New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. 
 Rahul Taneja, Vice President, Category Management at <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword>, said,“Products across categories that promote a <keyword id="6354750" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="health">health</keyword>y lifestyle like air fryers, fitness bands, nutritional supplements, yoga mats and fitness wear have seen a huge surge in demand. Although, currently the biggest demand centres for health products are metros, tier 2 cities are soon going to catch up. Therefore, we are rapidly expanding our health related assortment to cater to changing customer preferences.”

Did you know? Bangalore is the most fitness conscious city, Delhi is next!

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/49077373.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> The vast majority of city street journeys take place in cars. Despite being clean and green with a host of health benefits, <keyword id="6366594" type="SPORT" weightage="100" keywordseo="cycling">cycling</keyword> is really popular in only a few countries. Potential accidents, the lack of a cycle-friendly infrastructure and worries about rain and cold keep many from hopping on a two-wheeled horse, even though bicycles are fast, clean, healthy and inexpensive. In the UK, US and <keyword id="6355478" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Australia">Australia</keyword>, for example, only about 1 per cent of all journeys are made on a bike. But there are exceptions, of course: in the <keyword id="44173" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Netherlands">Netherlands</keyword>, the number is 27 per cent, and in Danish capital Copenhagen, <a href="http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/Irresistible.pdf">over half the population cycles regularly</a>. 
 
The main factor that keeps cycling rates low in many cities is that most people are not comfortable sharing space in streets with fast-moving cars and trucks. Most modern cities are designed for cars. Thus, an intelligent city planner while planning a smart city should assume that cycling, walking and public transport would be the main forms of transport while trying to figure out how to accommodate inefficient, polluting and dangerous modes like private car use. 
 Cities such as Delhi and <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> have shown spectacular economic growth, but at a price: traffic has literally come to a standstill. This is not only a cost to society but the economy. A sustainable solution involves a switch to other means of transportation. Amsterdam has shown that a transition in modalities of transport is possible. Currently, 53 per cent of all travel in the city is by bicycle, compared to 23 per cent by car. Investment in bicycle infrastructure is a modern and intelligent move for a city to make. Studies from Denmark tell us that for every kilometre cycled, society enjoys a net profit of 23 cents. For every kilometre driven by car we suffer a net loss of -16 cents. Now, the <keyword id="58906" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Karnataka-government">Karnataka government</keyword> and the city of Bengaluru are aiming to make urban mobility more bicycle-inclusive as part of the transition to a sustainable, smart city. 
 
Benefits of cycling 
 
Using the bicycle as an urban means of transport can improve the way cities are enjoyed, both for cyclists and other citizens. 
· A clean, environment-friendly means of transport 
· Silent 
· Improves overall fitness and contributes to reducing healthcare costs 
· Traffic jams not usually a concern 
· Reduces the need for fossil fuels 
· Makes it possible to carry objects around 
· Indirect source of cost reduction for cities and countries 
· Cuts carbon, air pollution and calories 
 
Planning for a cycle-friendly smart city 
 
· If the distance is short between start point and destination, cycling could be preferred. So, streets should be connected in such a way that the distance becomes short. 
· Car-free or limited-traffic streets can become anchors for human-centred activity 
· Bikeways should be smooth and free of obstructions, and preferably separated from traffic by parked vehicles, guardrails, bollards or other barriers that clearly differentiate bike lanes from the rest of the street. 
· ‘Smart’ bike-sharing systems provide the missing link between existing points of public transportation and desired destinations. 
 
Supporting ‘Cycling’ is not only an expression of inclusiveness but of health and harmony with environment. It needs to be part of every development plan of private townships and smart cities. More than 400,000 bicycle sharing schemes are used in dozens of cities on the Chinese mainland only, since 2012. Besides in economic benefits, India is the second largest bicycle producing industry after China. This US$ 1.5 billion industry produced nearly 15.5 million bicycles in 2012–13, i.e., 10% of the total bicycles manufactured globally and employed about 1 million people in the country. 
Cycling can improve the overall health of a city, in every sense of the word. But to make non-motorised transport a reality in the developing world, city leaders must first improve designs to support walkers and bikers. 
 (The article is authored by Pratap Padode, Founder and Director of <keyword id="3070683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Smart-City-Council-of-India">Smart City Council of India</keyword>.) 
 
(Image credits: Indiatimes)

Why cycling should be mandatory in smart cities

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45020032.cms" /> <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> didn’t earn the sobriquet of India’s Silicon Valley overnight. The city, which began its transformation from a lush farmland to the country’s IT destination in early 1980s when the then chief minister Gundu Rao allowed Texas Instruments to set up an overseas development centre near HAL Airport in the suburb, is now home to close to 40 per cent of the country’s 1 million IT professionals. It is also housing more than 3,000 software firms and close to 50 hardware companies and the leading ones among these alone generate annual revenues of close to $20 billion, a sizable portion of the $85 billion the country earns yearly by exporting software, technology related services. 
 While Bengaluru’s meteoric growth as a hot <keyword id="6419180" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="IT-hub">IT hub</keyword> is amply celebrated by media, corporate, civic society and the government, the unprecedented damages is has caused to the environment and health of those who reside in the city is not even talked about. For instance, the city produces close to 20,000 tonnes of <keyword id="6361522" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-waste">e-waste</keyword> per year; this figure is rising 20 per cent per year and the amount of computer waste across the country is likely to increase by nearly 500 per cent by 2020, according to a recent report by the Association of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (<keyword id="6355988" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Assocham">ASSOCHAM</keyword>). 
 
E-waste or electronic waste is broadly contributed by electrical or electronic devices, which are destined for disposal, reuse, resale or recycling. These include cathode ray tubes or CRTs that are used in TVs, computer monitors, ATM and video cameras; printed circuit boards (thin plates on which chips and other electronic components are placed); chips and other gold plated components; plastics from printers, keyboards and monitors and computer wires. 
 
Electronic scrap components such as CRTs contain contaminants such as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants can cause severe health problems to those who come in contact with them. 
 
In developing countries e-waste is processed informally mostly in the unorganised sector, without the help of machines and technology which exasperate the threat posed by it. In third-world countries, this waste is simply dumped at landfills and incinerators (apparatus for burning waste material, especially industrial waste, at high temperatures until it is reduced to ash). Materials such as heavy metals are leaked from such landfills, polluting soil and water bodies and thus posing serious threat to those living nearby. Heavy metals such as lead and barium get leached to the ground water, leading to the release of toxic phosphor. Other hazardous materials like brominated dioxin, beryllium cadmium and mercury also get discharged into rivers which carry them to far-off places and other water bodies. Brominated dioxins, heavy metals and hydrocarbons result in emissions of toxic fumes which cause breathing problems which over a period of time result in serious respiratory diseases. Hydrocarbons, heavy metals and brominated substances discharged directly into rivers also acidify fish and flora while tin and lead contaminate surface and groundwater, triggering significant risk to workers and communities living close to the locations where waste is disposed. 
 
E-waste is increasingly becoming a major health and environmental hazard to not just India, but countries across the globe including the so-called rich nations. For instance, an estimated 50 million tonnes of e-waste is produced each year in the US alone; while the US discards 30 million computers each year, 100 million phones are disposed off in Europe each year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, even in the developed world only over 20 per cent of e-waste is recycled and the rest go to landfills and incinerators. While an attempt is made by rich nations to involve private firms which are trying to come up with innovative technologies to manage disposal of e-waste, India is yet to catch up. 
 
Villagers living around the landfill site at Mandur, 25 kms from Bengaluru, have been bearing the brunt of the IT city's garbage, including e-waste, for years. They have been protesting against dumping of garbage which has created huge mounds, leading to respiratory diseases. Over the last couple of years attempts of villagers at Mandur and other landfill sites around Bengaluru to block trucks carrying waste led to disruption of waste-management in the city (civic activities say now Bengaluru’s nickname should be ‘garbage city’ not ‘garden city’). Several deaths of villagers at Mandur and other landfill sites over the years supposedly caused by exposure to polluted air and water point to the huge threat posed by unorganised disposal of garbage, a significant part of which is increasingly becoming e-waste in most Indian cities, and how it can impede society’s health and broader economic growth too.

Why Rising Mounts Of E-Waste Jeopardise India’s Technology-Driven Growth

Tata Motors, India's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer on Friday announced that Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has signed a definitive agreement with its fully owned subsidiary, <keyword id="15809114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TML-Smart-City-Mobility-Solutions" source="Orion">TML Smart City Mobility Solutions</keyword> Ltd. for operation of 921 electric buses in the capital city of Karnataka. As part of the agreement, TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Ltd. will supply, operate and maintain 921 units of 12-metre low-floor electric buses for a period 12 years. Tata Starbus Electric is an indigenously developed vehicle with superior design and best-in-class features for sustainable and comfortable commute. Commenting on the announcement, G. Sathyavathi, IAS, Managing Director, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation said: "We are confident that the induction of the zero-emission, eco-friendly buses will benefit all stakeholders and help in curbing air pollution. Tata Motors' vast experience in the electric mobility domain will certainly assist in providing uninterrupted, safe and comfortable commute in the city." Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, CEO and MD, TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, said: "It is a momentous occasion for us as we sign the first definitive agreement under the larger CESL tender and are delighted to have partnered with BMTC in their effort to modernise and electrify the public transportation in the city of Bengaluru. We, at Tata Motors, continuously endeavour to develop smart, green and energy efficient mass mobility solutions. We are confident that the electric buses will provide sustainable, safe and comfortable public transportation to the commuters of Bengaluru." Tata Motors' research and development facilities have steadily worked to engineer innovative mobility solutions powered by alternate fuel technology, including battery-electric, hybrid, CNG, LNG and Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology. Till date, Tata Motors has supplied more than 730 electric buses across multiple cities in India, which have cumulatively clocked more than 55 million km, with an uptime of over 95 per cent. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/how-indians-have-spent-their-money-on-swiggy-in-2022/slidelist/96285686.cms">Spending ₹75,000 on an order to buying groceries worth ₹16.6 lakh, here’s how Indians used Swiggy in 2022</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-electric-scooters-in-india-in-2023/articleshow/96278794.cms">From Suzuki and TVS to Hero Electric: Here are some of the top electric scooters expected to launch in 2023</a>

Tata Motors subsidiary to operate 921 electric buses in B'luru

As Big Tech reels under the global macroeconomic conditions, <keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> is now reviewing its <keyword id="196611" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="alexa" source="Orion">Alexa</keyword> virtual assistant-driven business as part of a major cost-cutting exercise headed by CEO Andy Jassy, the media reported. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon's entire devices unit has had an operating loss exceeding $5 billion in some recent years. Amazon is now looking into whether it should "focus on trying to add new capabilities to Alexa," according to the report. The cost-cutting review includes the devices unit with Alexa, a voice assistant available on a variety of Amazon devices. "The business has more than 10,000 employees and is a major recipient of investment capital," according to the report. It appears that the e-commerce giant is considering reducing its investments in Alexa-driven products. An Amazon spokesperson was quoted as saying that as part of this year's review, "we're of course taking into account the current macro-environment and considering opportunities to optimise costs." Amazon's shares went up by over 4 per cent on Thursday after the report about the cost-cutting review came out. Once part of our private lives as virtual assistants, more than 35 smart speaker models have now been discontinued (as of April 2022), 46 brands haven't released a new smart speaker since 2019 and 34 companies haven't released a new smart speaker since 2018. Although Amazon-branded smart speakers grew 33 per cent during the second quarter (Q2) compared to last year, other brands like Google and Apple were down 31 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively, according to global market research firm Omdia. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/stock-markets-inch-close-to-52-week-highs-as-us-inflation-data-cools/articleshow/95442431.cms">Stock markets inch close to 52-week highs as US inflation data cools</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/lung-blockages-growth-retardation-and-allergies-this-is-how-air-pollution-is-affecting-your-childs-health/articleshow/95442684.cms">Lung blockages, growth retardation and allergies — This is how air pollution is affecting your child’s health</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-5g-services-now-available-in-hyderabad-and-bengaluru-taking-total-cities-to-eight/articleshow/95440828.cms">Reliance Jio 5G services now available in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, taking total cities to eight</a>

Amazon has reportedly put its Alexa business under major cost-cutting review

<ul><li>India took less time to go from half to full electricity access than other major economies, the International Energy Agency (IEA).</li><li>India has recently seen the growth of consumer-centric solutions like distributed solar PV take off, with rooftop solar growing 30-fold in less than a decade, the report says. </li></ul> New Delhi, Feb 6 (IANS) India's economy is already 10 per cent more energy efficient than both the global and G20 average. India took less time to go from half to full electricity access than other major economies, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Monday. Just hours ahead of Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> inaugurating the three-day <keyword id="15806241" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india-energy-week" source="Orion">India Energy Week</keyword> in Bengaluru to showcase India's rising prowess as an energy transition powerhouse, the IEA said the adoption worldwide of the kinds of actions and measures targeted by <keyword id="6360041" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="life" source="Orion">LiFE</keyword> (Lifestyle for Environment), including behavioural changes and sustainable consumer choices, would reduce the annual global carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2 billion tonnes in 2030. The LiFE initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021. It aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable lifestyles in India and internationally to tackle the challenges of environmental degradation and climate change. A new report, "LiFE Lessons From India", by the IEA looks at how India's G20 Presidency this year could strengthen the LiFE initiative internationally to help reduce emissions, energy bills, and inequalities in per capita energy consumption and emissions between countries. According to the LiFE initiative, the global adoption of such measures would also save consumers globally around $440 billion in 2030. LiFE measures can also help lower inequalities in energy consumption and emissions between countries. The reductions the measures could deliver in per capita carbon dioxide emissions in advanced economies by 2030 are three to four times greater than in emerging market and developing economies, it says. The report says already the third largest national market globally for renewables, India has recently seen the growth of consumer-centric solutions like distributed solar PV take off, with rooftop solar growing 30-fold in less than a decade. Supportive policies and awareness campaigns in India have also driven electric passenger vehicles to a market share of almost five per cent in 2022 - with sales tripling from 2021. India's example shows the importance of behavioural change and consumption choices in driving energy transitions. The IEA has analysed the impact of measures like those proposed by the LiFE initiative, such as buying an EV or taking public transport, as part of comprehensive energy transition strategies. IEA Executive Director <keyword id="293700" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="fatih-birol" source="Orion">Fatih Birol</keyword> told IANS, "India's G20 Presidency this year represents a unique opportunity to globalise the LiFE initiative -- providing a knowledge-sharing platform for other leading economies to realise the impact that LiFE's recommendations can have in the fight against climate change, air pollution and unaffordable energy bills. "Since the G20 makes up nearly 80 per cent of global energy demand, meaningful changes by its members can make a big difference." The International Monetary Fund estimates that India will be the world's third-largest economy by 2027, and India is already on course to become the most populous country this year. Its critical challenge is to ensure secure and affordable energy for growth while advancing its net-zero transition over the coming decades. To meet these challenges, India has embarked on a dynamic new phase in its energy transformation, which spans three broad areas. Firstly, it has launched important initiatives to bring down the prices and increase the supply of clean energy. These include a target of non-fossil fuel sources contributing to 50 per cent of India's power generation capacity by 2030; a <keyword id="12676485" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="national-green-hydrogen-mission" source="Orion">National Green Hydrogen Mission</keyword> with the ambition of establishing annual renewable hydrogen production of 5 million tonnes (Mt) by 2030; and biofuel mandates that target 30 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol by 2030. Secondly, India seeks to domesticate parts of the global supply chains that will be critical to its new energy economy. This includes the <keyword id="8870884" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="production-linked-incentive" source="Orion">Production Linked Incentive</keyword> (PLI) scheme that promotes the domestic manufacturing of solar PV, advanced batteries and electric vehicles. Thirdly, the government has focused on demand-side measures, including taking the first steps towards the creation of a national carbon market, an energy efficiency trading scheme for industries, incentivising the purchase of electric vehicles, bulk procurement of electric buses for public transport, standards and labelling of appliances, and most recently, the Lifestyles for Environment (LiFE) initiative that aims to nudge behaviours and individual consumption choices towards cleaner alternatives. These measures have immense potential but need global support. The IEA estimates that India will need $145 billion per year until 2030 in clean energy investment to put it on a path towards net-zero emissions by 2070. This is triple the current level of annual clean energy investment in India.

India's economy 10% more energy efficient than G20 average: IEA

<ul><li>Companies manufacturing electric buses including Ashok Leyland, JBM Auto, Olectra Greentech have gained a lot of momentum with the government’s plan towards reducing carbon emissions.</li><li>Shares of these companies have skyrocketed up to 830% in the last one year as investors spot emerging opportunities in the electric vehicle businesses.</li><li>The latest development in the EV space is a $1 billion investment in automaker Tata Motors by private equity firm TPG.</li></ul>As India moves towards its plan to reduce carbon emissions, companies that are into electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing are becoming the front runners in the zero carbon race. Even investment firms are shifting some of their funds towards companies aiding the government to tackle the climate crisis and make a smooth transition towards electric vehicles. The latest development in this regard is the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-motors-gets-a-billion-dollar-investment-from-tpg-group/articleshow/86966522.cms">$1 billion investment</a> in automaker Tata Motors by private equity firm TPG. Moreover, state governments are inviting tenders to buy electric buses for public transport facilities. This gives a strong order push to companies manufacturing electric buses like Ashok Leyland, JBM Auto, Olectra Greentech, Tata Motors and Eicher Motors. Shares of these companies have skyrocketed up to 830% in the last one year as investors spot emerging opportunities in the electric vehicle space. While India is among the world's most polluted cities, the government has been pushing automakers to switch to EVs to promote clean air and reduce costly oil imports. Recently, Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray <a href="https://twitter.com/AUThackeray/status/1447139828936499207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">announced </a>that Mumbai’s entire public transport buses will go electric by 2028. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">All of Mumbai’s current fleet of 386 buses will be powered by renewable energy. All new buses will be only electric, 1900 buses purchase tender launched and 200 electric double decker buses soon. By 2023, 50% and, by 2027 we aim to have 100% electric bus fleet for Mumbai. <a href="https://t.co/JwrFxpHXuF">pic.twitter.com/JwrFxpHXuF</a>&mdash; Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) <a href="https://twitter.com/AUThackeray/status/1447139828936499207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>]]></cdata></div> Public buses getting replaced by <keyword id="1310333" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-bus" source="Orion">electric bus</keyword>es bring a huge opportunity for these few electric bus makers in the country. Under its EV Policy 2021, the Maharashtra government has embarked on a vision to electrify public transport in Mumbai and other cities including Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government is all set to acquire 1,500 electric buses in the next three years. Ashok Leyland <div type="image" title="ashok leyland" height="900" width="1200" msid="87021886" hostid="261"></div> The company manufactures automobiles, commercial vehicles, and engines. In 2016, Ashok Leyland debuted its first electric bus. Recently, Ashok Leyland won the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation tender for 300 non-air conditioned electric buses. JBM Auto <div type="image" title="JBM auto chart" height="900" width="1200" msid="87021904" hostid="261"></div> The Gurugram-based automaker was founded in 1996 with JBM Auto being the flagship company of JBM Group. The company has diversified into bus manufacturing with an aim to become a globally benchmarked producer of modern intra-city buses. Last month, the company received orders for 500 electric buses and some compressed natural gas (CNG) buses from Delhi, Bengaluru and Uttar Pradesh along with other corporate clients. Besides, it will also be supplying electric buses for Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Olectra Greentech <div type="image" title="olectra greentech" height="900" width="1200" msid="87021947" hostid="261"></div> The Hyderabad-based electric bus and insulator manufacturing company Olectra Greentech is among the leading players in the space. The company has a healthy order book for 1,325 e-buses out of which 87 buses are already delivered. It made a profit of ₹5.65 crore in the June quarter compared to ₹3.26 crore loss in the same quarter last year. Besides, the company’s stock has created immense wealth for investors in the last one year as it surged over 800%. Tata Motors <div type="image" title="tata motors chart 2" height="900" width="1200" msid="87021969" hostid="261"></div> Tata Motors seems to be ahead of everyone with its latest $1 billion investment from US based private equity TPG for electric vehicle business. In August, the company delivered 35 Starbus electric buses, as a part of the larger order of 340 electric buses to Maharashtra’s transport department. Eicher Motors <div type="image" title="eicher motor" height="900" width="1200" msid="87021986" hostid="261"></div> In 2008, Eicher Motors collaborated with Volvo Group for selling trucks and buses under company name VE Commercial Vehicles. The company debuted with an EV bus named “Skyline Pro” in 2018. Since then, the company has been actively participating in tenders floated by various state transport undertakings and other government agencies. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/nykaa-gets-sebis-approval-for-4000-crore-ipo/articleshow/87019734.cms">Nykaa gets SEBI’s approval for its ₹4,000 crore IPO; raises fresh issue size by over ₹100 crore</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zee-invesco-saga-punit-goenka-speaks-up-for-the-first-time-asks-if-corporate-governance-doesnt-apply-to-institutional-investors/articleshow/87019547.cms">Zee-Invesco saga: Punit Goenka speaks up for the first time, asks if corporate governance doesn’t apply to institutional investors</a>

Electric bus makers on a roll as states like Maharashtra and Karnataka send in large orders

Ride-hailing major Uber on Thursday announced a partnership with electric vehicle fleet operator Lithium Urban Technologies to deploy over 1,000 EVs in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune. Uber said it has already deployed more than 100 such electric vehicles (all sedan), such as Mahindra eVerito and Tata Tigor EV, on its platform. Over the next 12 months, the company said it remains committed to scaling up to 2,000 electric vehicles on its platform, including the Lithium EVs. "After our partnerships with Yulu, Mahindra and SUN Mobility, this is our fourth partnership in this space and Uber will always remain committed to providing smarter mobility, building greener cities and creating healthier lives," said Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and South Asia said. Lithium's charging hubs in the selected cities have the capacity to charge multiple cars and buses simultaneously. While a fast charger can charge a sedan in 90 minutes, a slow charger can do that in 8 to 9 hours. "Our partnership with Uber has the potential to significantly add to the number of electric kilometers covered by cars in every city. Electric vehicles are particularly well-suited to the shared economy, and that's why we're seeing their early adoption, most noticeably in fleets," said Ashwin Mahesh, Co-Founder and CEO, Lithium Urban Technologies. According to the 2019 ‘IQAir; rankings, 14 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017, according to the State of Global Air Report. Uber recently announced a global commitment to make all rides on its platform 100 per cent emission-free by 2040 through zero-emission vehicles and the integration of public transport and micro-mobility. A market leader in sustainable mobility solutions, Lithium was established in 2014 to encourage an environment-friendly mobility solution for corporates. Lithium runs its over 1,000 electric fleet of hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs and buses across 10 cities in India with its own charging infrastructure of more than 500 fast and slow chargers and charging hubs. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tcs-and-wipro-lead-rally-in-it-stocks-after-tcs-ceo-announces-multi-year-technology-transformation-cycle-in-the-works/articleshow/78547893.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">TCS and Wipro lead rally in IT stocks after TCS CEO announces multi-year 'technology transformation' cycle in the works</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/here-are-the-guidelines-issued-by-the-dgca-for-the-refund-of-airline-tickets-booked-during-the-lockdown-period/articleshow/78547292.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Here are the guidelines for refund of airline tickets booked during the lockdown period issued by the DGCA</a>

Uber partners with Lithium Urban Tech to onboard 1,000 EVs in India

<ul><li>The state-owned power distributor is losing ₹2.2 for every unit of power sold, according to the latest research by a Bengaluru-based group Climate Risk Horizons.</li><li>By taking steps which include retiring old plants and replacing them with renewable energy sources, the distribution company can save over ₹57,000 crore in 5 years</li><li>This will not only reduce emissions but the money saved can help ease the pressure of electricity bills on the consumer.</li><li>Check out the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment">latest news and updates on the environment</a> on our dedicated section at Business Insider.</li></ul>The state-owned power distributor in Tamil Nadu, one of India’s more developed states, is losing ₹2.2 on every unit of power sold. This has led to a debt pile up of over ₹1.13 lakh crore ($15.4 billion). Now, a Bengaluru-based research group Climate Risk Horizons, has come up with a plan to save the company and consumers’ money on electricity bills. The cash-strapped discom Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) can save up to ₹57,766 crore over five years if it retires older plants, rationalise under-construction projects and avails of cheaper power to meet future demand, according to the report dated February 5. Like in many other states, TANGEDCO has been struggling for a while. In October 2020, the central government approved a ₹30,230 crore bailout package. But that would only the inevitable collapse until another bailout or corrective measures. The recommendations of the report not only aim for cleaner air but any money saved by the distribution company (popularly called discom), may help in reducing the power bills on the consumers. Here’s a breakdown of the estimated amount the discom in Tamil Nadu can save by moving to renewables <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Potential savings </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cost </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Phase out power plants that 20 years and older </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,670 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Replace lost generation from plants 20 years and older with renewable energy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1,459 crore p.a. / ₹7,295 crore (5 years) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Freeze expenditure on early-stage plants </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹26,514 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Phase out all plants with tariffs &gt; ₹4kWh &amp; replace with ₹3/kWh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹6,097 crore p.a. / ₹30,485 crore (5 years) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Total savings </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹34,100 crore (first year) ₹57,766 crore (5 years) </td></tr></tbody></table> Retire the old plants Some of the ideas shared in the report should, ideally, be under execution. For example, shutting down coal-based power plants that are older than 20 years like the ones in Thoothukudi, Mettur, Salem, and North Chennai. Such plants are typically less efficient and pollute more. Legally, they should be moving towards meeting the 2015 air and water emission norms notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The deadline for compliance with the norms is 2022. However, so far, little progress has been made on reducing the sulfur dioxide emissions caused by coal combustion boilers in these plants. The researchers say it may be cheaper to replace these plants instead of trying to upgrade them, which may cost another ₹1,600 crore. For the same reason, the authors of the report also say that under-construction projects like the one in Uppur, Udangudi and Ennore should be frozen. The recommendation is similar to the one made by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/exclusive-why-tata-motors-ceo-is-not-worried-about-musks-tesla-coming-to-india/articleshow/78749755.cms">Lord Adair Turner of the Energy Transitions Commission who said</a> that every bit of power capacity that India adds hereon should be from renewable sources. <div type="Youtube" id="8-OR5t9D5Iw" title="How Carbon Free is The Future Of Mobility?" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8-OR5t9D5Iw/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The power from new renewables in India is much cheaper than power from fossil fuels like coal. In India, solar bids declined from a high of 10.95 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2010 to less than ₹2/kWh now. By 2030, renewable power in India is <a href="https://www.saurenergy.com/solar-energy-news/renewables-in-apac-to-be-cheaper-than-coal-by-2030-led-by-india#:~:text=By%202030%2C%20renewables%20power%20in,costs%20and%20good%20renewable%20resources.">expected </a>to be 56% cheaper than new-build coal. <div type="image" title="Solar tarriff" msid="80760361" hostid="261"></div> However, not just the state governments, even the central government seems to be going for a rather hybrid approach. “Actually, we are doing rather well in terms of creating solar capacities, but you know there is also a resilience issue here. While we go into solar, we will be making sure that we do have back up capacities from traditional fields, so we're also opening up some new coal mines. So you do need some resilience, some sort of shock absorbers to allow, while we build out these new capacities well,” <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/indias-principal-economic-advisor-says-the-real-monopoly-to-be-worried-about-is-in-search-internet-and-social-media/articleshow/80663403.cms">said Sanjeev Sanyal, the Principal Economic Advisor </a>at the Ministry of Finance in an interview with Business Insider. <div type="Video" msid="80726459" hostid="261" title="This is a time for stability in tax rates, says India's Principal Economic Advisor" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=80726459"></div> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/joe-biden-and-narendra-modi-spoke-over-the-phone-last-night-heres-what-they-discussed/articleshow/80759960.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Joe Biden and Narendra Modi spoke over the phone last night⁠— here’s what they discussed</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/upgrad-is-rushing-its-employees-back-to-mumbai-and-bengaluru-offices-and-relocating-many-without-more-money-or-temp-accommodation/articleshow/80752193.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">EXCLUSIVE: upGrad is rushing its employees back to Mumbai and Bengaluru⁠ offices⁠— and relocating many without more money or temp accommodation</a>

A new research lines up a plan to save Tamil Nadu’s TANGEDCO and your power bills

<ul><li>The Indian space startup <keyword id="8279723" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pixxel">Pixxel</keyword> has announced that it won’t be launching its first satellite called Anand on February 28.</li><li>The launch of the satellite has been delayed due to ‘certain software issues’, according to the Bengaluru-based satellite imaging startup.</li><li>Led by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, Pixxel will be reevaluating its satellite software over the next few weeks as it looks for the closest upcoming launch opportunity.</li></ul>Indian space startup Pixxel was poised to launch its first satellite — Anand — aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C51 on February 28. However, due to <a href="https://twitter.com/PixxelSpace/status/1364105882343145473">‘certain software issues</a>’ the much anticipated satellite will no longer be a part of the payload that is <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/why-bhagavad-gita-photo-of-pm-narendra-modi-names-of-25-000-citizens-will-be-taken-to-space-1769527-2021-02-15">set to include</a> a picture of Prime Minister Modi, the Bhagavad Gita, and the names of 25,000 individuals. “It did not make sense to rush a satellite to launch in which we do not have complete confidence at this time,” said the two-year old start up in a statement. Pixxel, founded by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, has decided to wait for a few weeks, re-evaluate the satellite software and test it rigorously while looking for the next closest launch opportunity. <div type="twitter" handle="PixxelSpace" handlename="Pixxel" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1150939372163751936/rE2RcVli_normal.jpg" favoritecount="200" retweetcount="13" status="An update on our upcoming launch. https://t.co/HmWs8nK0WK" createdat="1614063160000" id="1364105882343145473"></div> What was Pixxel’s first satellite aiming for? Anand is a part of Pixxel’s Firefly fleet of earth observation satellites. The Firefly fleet is a constellation of satellites that Pixxel is aiming to deploy in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to monitor the planet around the clock. The data it collects will help organisations globally to detect, monitor and predict global phenomena in real-time. “The data from Pixxel’s satellite will be used to solve some of humanity’s most pressing problems today such as flagging pest infestations and crop diseases in time, detecting forest fires early, talking air and water pollution levels, detecting oil spills and gas leaks and mapping large scale geological changes among other things,” said Awais in a statement. The Bengaluru-based satellite imaging startup had joined hands with NewsSpace India Limited (<keyword id="7835598" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nsil">NSIL</keyword>) — the commercial arm of ISRO — after the Modi administration announced new space reforms in 2020. The reforms made way for private players to work with ISRO to take the Indian space sector to the next level. What will the PSLV-C51 be carrying into space? Even though Anand will no longer be a part of the upcoming launch, ISRO’s <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/launcher/pslv-c51-amazonia-1">PSLV C-51</a> will still be carrying the US’ Amazonia-1 and 20 co-passenger satellites on February 28. <div type="image" title="pslvc51_2_edited" msid="81170952" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSLV-C51 preparing for launch at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The rocket is scheduled to take off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at around 10:23 am Indian Standard Time (IST). Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NSIL. The other 20 co-passengers includes ISRO INS-2TD satellite, Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India — which will have a picture of Modi, the Bhagavad Gita and the names of 25,000 individuals — and three UNITYsats from the consortium of three Indian academic institutions. The other fifteen satellites will be from NSIL. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/nasa-finds-black-mold-fungus-can-survive-on-mars/articleshow/81152258.cms">NASA finds black mold fungus can survive on Mars — and it poses a threat to astronauts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambani-says-he-will-make-batteries-ahead-of-a-boom-in-electric-vehicles/articleshow/81166590.cms">Mukesh Ambani says he will make batteries ahead of a boom in electric vehicles⁠</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambani-ril-hives-off-o2c-business-ahead-of-aramco-deal/articleshow/81163638.cms">Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance hives off O2C business ahead of Aramco deal</a>

Indian space startup Pixxel won’t be launching its satellite on February 28

<ul><li>Uber asked the Delhi government to allow them to use 5,000 bike-taxis during the odd-even scheme. </li><li>As of now, regulations do not allow bike-taxis to operate in Delhi. </li><li>The company also proposed to re-deploy 2,500 bikes from its food delivery network (UberEats) to work as bike-taxis. </li></ul> US-based ride hailing platform Uber has made a submission to the Delhi government offering use of 5,000 bike-taxis to improve first and last mile connectivity during the odd-even scheme to be implemented next month, according to sources. Currently, regulations do not allow bike-taxis to operate in Delhi. According to sources, Uber has made the submission to the Delhi government proposing to deploy 5,000 bike-taxis to help ferry one lakh commuters to and from Metro stations every week. The service is proposed to be offered for a fee of Rs 5 per ride, they added. The company, which competes with Bengaluru-based Ola, has also proposed to re-deploy 2,500 bikes from its food delivery network (UberEats) to work as bike-taxis during the odd-even scheme that will be implemented from November 4-15. Uber did not respond to e-mailed queries on the matter. A Delhi government official said a proposal was received from the cab aggregator but no decision has been taken on it as yet. One of the persons aware of the development said bike-sharing provides a huge opportunity to unlock the potential of shared mobility through optimal utilisation of existing vehicles on the road. The person said Uber, in its submission, has cited data that one out of two UberMOTO trips in Gurugram began or ended at a Metro station, while one in four such trips in Noida began or ended near a Metro station. The odd-even scheme has been proposed as part of a slew of measures to combat high level of air pollution in Delhi caused due to stubble burning in neighbouring states during winters. During the 12-day scheme, vehicles will ply alternately on odd and even dates as per their registration numbers. In the previous two experiments in January and April in 2016, a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on violators of the rule. In the past, two-wheelers and female commuters were exempted from the rule.

Uber wants to run bike taxis to go with Delhi's odd-even scheme

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57bc78b8db5ce92c168b8472-619/hong kong art.jpg" alt="Hong Kong Art" data-mce-source="Courtesy Graviky Labs" />Courtesy Graviky LabsA mural painted with Air Ink in Hong Kong</div></div></div>For the past few years, teams of researchers have been figuring out how to transform carbon dioxide emissions into <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/scientist-turned-co2-into-valuable-material-2015-8">diamonds</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-can-now-turn-co2-into-rock-iceland-2016-6">solid rocks</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/promising-new-material-can-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-clean-energy-2016-1">clean energy</a>.Turns out they can also create art from it. <a href="http://www.graviky.com">Graviky Labs</a>, a spinoff group from the MIT Media Lab, developed a way to capture air pollution and make art supplies - pens, oil-based paints and spray paints - from the carbon soot.Appropriately dubbed Air Ink, the materials are created by attaching cylindrical devices to the tailpipes of cars, trucks, and motorcycles and capturing the emissions. A device the company calls Kaalink then separates out the carbon as soot, leaving out other polluting agents like heavy metals and carcinogens. The carbon can then be retrieved from the Kaalink to be mixed with oils and water to make paints, inks, and so on. Just 30-50 minutes of car pollution can generate enough purified carbon to fill an Air Ink pen, <a href="http://www.graviky.com/air-ink.html">Graviky Labs claims</a>.The company, which is based Bengaluru, India, partnered with Tiger Beer to commission street artists to create murals using Air Ink in Hong Kong's Sheung Wan district. The collection of inky black-and-white art went up on buildings and malls June 17 - <a href="http://www.air-ink.com/gallery/#story">you can see more</a> images of them on Air Ink's website.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57bc8110ce38f2e3058b849b-1100/product7_orig.jpg" alt="product7_orig" data-mce-source="Courtesy Graviky Labs" />Courtesy Graviky Labs</div></div></div>Anirudh Sharma, one of Graviky Labs' founders, got the idea to create the ink when he noticed his clothes were getting stained from the heavy air pollution in India, according to the <a href="https://spectrum.mit.edu/continuum/an-artful-solution-for-capturing-pollution/">MIT Spectrum</a>. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57bc783edb5ce950008b85a2-2400/material_from_vehicles.jpg" alt="material_from_vehicles" data-mce-source="Courtesy Graviky Labs" />Courtesy Graviky Labs</div></div></div>In February, research from Greenpeace, which used NASA satellite readings of air quality, revealed that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/air-pollution-levels-in-india-are-now-higher-than-in-china-2016-2?r=UK&amp;IR=T">India's pollution concentrations overtook Beijing's</a> in 2015. In May, the World Health Organization found that six of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-cities-with-the-worlds-worst-air-pollution-who-2016-5/#15-kanpur-india-115-gm3-of-pm-25-1">top 15 most polluted cities</a> in the world were in India.So the country's pollution problem is, of course, too big and complicated to solve by sticking cylinders onto tailpipes and turning all C02 emissions into art materials.But highlighting the issue through artistic expression could at least become one of many ways to work towards a solution. Sharma <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/08/21/this-start-up-claims-to-be-recycling-polluted-air-to-make-ink-an/">tells Huffington Post India</a> that he's planning to bring the inks to market by the end of 2016, after receiving certification for the Kaalink device. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/time-lapse-los-angeles-without-light-pollution-2015-4">Stunning time-lapse shows what LA skies would look like without pollution</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="10YjVsdDpaf94gvfsX1gAY7aRgo4_zkV" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '10YjVsdDpaf94gvfsX1gAY7aRgo4_zkV',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

This company is turning car exhaust into inks and paints

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50135816.cms" /> 
Starting January, Delhi government would make sure that both Delhi’s traffic and the polluted air that floats in Delhi are kept under check. It would be done by cutting the number of private cars on its roads by about half, allowing private cars with odd digits as registration numbers on one day and those with even on the next. The Delhi government is also making sure that there are enough buses, autorickshaws and Metro coaches to accommodate the resulting number of people relying on Delhi public transports. 
 On the other hand, the brains behind taxi companies and car aggregators such as <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword>, <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> and <keyword id="205081" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meru">Meru</keyword> Cabs are already planning on steps to take the best advantage of this step taken by the <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> government. 
 Uber, for example, is planning to launch <keyword id="6591085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="UberPool">UberPool</keyword>, its car pooling service, in Delhi after a successful run in Bengaluru. While Bangalore UberPool service is only meant for commercial vehicles, the Delhi arm would target the 28 lakh private car owners. 
 
Meru, on the other hand, will be launching a mobile app in January so that passengers can pool cabs online. "The app will identify two people within a radius of two-three km travelling in the same direction and can share their taxi ride," Meru CEO Siddhartha Pahwa told ET. "The driver will pick one person first and within 10 minutes will also pick up the second person." Meru, which is already running many cabs on Delhi roads, is expecting almost 30% rise in the demand for cabs during the trial period. To attract customers, it would offer 35% discount for ride sharing. Even if a passenger can't find someone to share the ride, he or she would still be given the discount. 
 
Ola, the taxi aggregator service, recently launched minibus shuttle services in Gurgaon and Noida, which they plan to extend to Delhi. The taxi-sharing app is being beta-tested in Bengaluru right now, and could very well be rolled out in NCR to make use of the odd-even rule. 
 
Delhi is one of the world's most heavily polluted cities, which is why the government has planned to launch this odd-even scheme. Starting January 1, a 15-day trial period would begin between 8 am and 8 pm, Monday to Saturday. As per the rule, odd-numbered cars would be allowed to run on odd dates and those with even numbers would be allowed on even dates. 
 
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has given his support to this the plan at a recent meeting he had Delhi CM Kejriwal. It means that Delhi Police, which comes under the control of the central government, would be taken on board to ease the application of this rule. 
 
To discuss a carpooling policy, fleet owners and taxi aggregators, including representatives of Pool my Ride, Embarq India, Tripda.in, Carzonrent, Uber, Ola, Shuttl.com, NearGroup.in, Ibibo Ryde, Mega Carpool Pvt., Mega Cabs, LetsDriveAlong.com, BaxiTaxi, Orahi and 
Cykul, had a meeting with the members of the Delhi Dialogue Commission, which serves as the think tank of the Delhi government. 
 
<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo/Ola-to-invest-Rs-150-crore-in-Andhra-Pradesh/48986145.cms">Image source</a>

Cab aggregators to reap the benefits of Delhi’s Odd-Even car rule

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55956406.cms" />In a bid to give an impetus to local hardware and product innovation in the country, <keyword id="176127" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Intel-India">Intel India</keyword> recently announced the top 10 finalists of the <keyword id="28115" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Intel">Intel</keyword> &amp; DST - Innovate for <keyword id="2868794" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Digital-India-Challenge">Digital India Challenge</keyword> 2.0. 
 The shortlisted solutions were seen as those which could potentially accelerate the country’s Digital India vision. It comprised of projects in healthcare, smart cities, sustainability, and <keyword id="6355165" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agriculture">agriculture</keyword>. 
 
The selected teams will now advance to the 8-week NanoAccelerator program at the T-Hub start-up incubator in Hyderabad. 
 
Under the program, each team will receive grants up to Rs. 3,00,000 from T-Hub to create minimum-viable products (MVPs). They will also have access to engineering support and hardware kits from Intel, and access to the Intel® Maker Lab in Bengaluru as well as the IoT Lab at T-Hub. 
 
With inputs from design and user interface firms about developing user experience, the teams will undergo virtual team management and prototype monitoring. They will also receive weekly mentoring by a cross panel of experts from Intel, T-Hub and MyGov, as well as from technical specialists, venture capitalists, and business modelling experts. 
 The accelerator phase will culminate on Demo Day, a showcase event at <keyword id="3401025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="t-hub-hyderabad">T-Hub Hyderabad</keyword>, where the teams will present their prototypes to a panel of venture capitalists, technology experts and industry stalwarts. 
 
Here are the finalists of the Intel Digital India Challenge: 
 
FOCUSING ON SMART CITIES 
 
Oizom Instruments Pvt. Ltd. 
Oizom is an environmental big data company focused on ambient air-quality. Using a dense network of low cost air pollution monitors, Oizom acquires environmental data on real time-basis. Once Oizom has a pool of environmental big data using artificial intelligence and machine learning, it will provide an environmental monitoring and prediction structure for the future. 
 
IoTrek Technology Pvt. Ltd. 
IoTrek is developing an IoT infrastructure to provide Data As A Service (DaaS). The Infrastructure consists of an IoT network and application management in the fields of energy management, asset management and environment management. IoTrek enables devices to talk to each other to bring about intelligent solutions through the LoRa network. 
 
FOCUSING ON HEALTHCARE 
 
AllizHealth 
AllizHealth is a healthcare technology venture in the preventive health space. AllizHealth provides an integrated platform through its proprietary health risk assessment to predict the risk of every individual against various non-communicable diseases by digitally connecting them with various ecosystem partners. 
 
NeuroTech 
NeuroTech is a hardware start-up developing consumer wearables with a focus on Brain Computer Interface (BCI). NeuroBuds is a smart earphone that tracks brain activity with an in-built panic detection mode to predict and detect brain-related health issues. 
 
iNICU 
iNICU is an integrated system which monitors real-time clinical data from connected devices, laboratory, and bedside observational data and presents it in a medically comprehensive and user-definable formats to reduce mortality in NICU environments. 
 
Thyrometer 
Thyrometer is a battery operated portable thyroid measurement solution to encourage non-reported cases in rural and sub-urban areas in India. It allows users to detect thyroid at home and in local dispensaries and works in the direction of reducing time and efforts needed to get thyroid diagnosed. 
 
SUSTAINABILITY 
 
Gayam Motor Works 
Gayam Motor Works is an electric automobile company that designs, locally manufactures and sells electric vehicles. Its portfolio includes electric four and three wheeled vehicles and electric bikes (bicycles). The vehicles have sustainable energy at their core, enabling savings on fuel, zero emissions, cost effectiveness, low-maintenance and reduced noise pollution. 
 
Banyan Sustainable Waste Management Pvt. Ltd. 
Banyan Nation is a waste management and recycling venture that leverages mobile technology to integrate India’s fragmented waste management supply chain from collection and aggregation to recycling of plastics. Banyan’s smart waste technology platform allows cities to integrate the informal sector recyclers as well as manage city waste and recycling operations through on-field sensors like biometrics attendance devices, bin sensors, and GPS truck routing. 
 
Waste Ventures India 
Waste Ventures India offers doorstep waste and recyclable collection services to households, businesses and waste pickers. It addresses the challenges of finding scrap dealers, fixed pricing and service accountability by streamlining India’s $2-$3bn recyclable collection market. 
 
AGRICULTURE 
 
E-DeWeeder 
It offers a service to enhance crop yield with its precision farming equipment. Its vision-based machine creates digital data for weeds and 
controlls it with a radio frequency selective application which delivers precise cell necrosis in weed plants.

You Searched For "bengaluru air pollution" and got 14 results

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