Publications
Sustainable Development: A Critical Review of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC), Government of India has notified the Construction and Demolition Waste Management (CDWM) Rules in March, 2016. The new notification supersedes the existing Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 which was addressing limited issues related to Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste. This paper summarises the salient features of the gazette notification and discusses the shortcomings in the existing CDWM rules?
Sustaining the Farming Household to Sustain the Farming
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
In the literature on sustainability of agriculture, both labourers and workers are conspicuously absent. Here, the sustainability of agriculture has been defined in terms of whether the farm household in question is able to yield an energy surplus when its members and the animals in its possession are obtaining an adequate ‘energy income’ or Calorie intake. To evaluate the sustainability of 590 farming households in the state of West Bengal, India, during 2004–5, four progressively stricter definitions of sustainability have been proposed, defined and applied.
The determinants of electricity theft: An empirical analysis of Indian states
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
More than 20% of the electricity generated in India is lost to rampant thefts. Drawing data from 28 states of India over a time span of ?ve years (2005–2009, this paper examines the role played by socio-eco-nomic and governance factors in determining the extent of electricity thefts in Indian states.
The Effect of Development on the Climate Sensitivity of Electricity Demand in India
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
The climate sensitivity of electricity demand in India is likely to be highly sensitive to growth in income. Thus, both intensive and extensive adjustments in cooling and heating will play an important role in determining future climate change impacts on electricity demand. This paper utilizes a national level panel dataset of 28 Indian states for the period 2005–2009. The preferred estimates indicate that climate change will increase electricity demand by 6.7% with 4% p.a. GDP growth and 8.5% with 6% p.a. GDP growth in 2030 over the reference scenario of no climate change.
The isolation and identification of new microalgal strains producing oil and carotenoid simultaneously with biofuel potential
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
Taxonomy and phylogeny of twenty two microalgal isolates were examined using both universal and newly designed molecular primers. Among the isolates, Scenedesmus bijugus, Coelastrella sp., Auxenochlorella protothecoides, and Chlorella sp. were particularly promising in terms of producing lipids as measured by fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) analysis and significant concentration of carotenoids. A comparative experiment showed that S. bijugus and Chlorella sp.
The Role of DNA Restriction-Modification Systems in the Biology of Bacillus anthracis
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
Restriction-modification (R-M) systems are widespread among prokaryotes and, depending on their type, may be viewed as selfish genetic elements that persist as toxin-antitoxin modules, or as cellular defense systems against phage infection that confer a selective advantage to the host bacterium. Studies in the last decade have made it amply clear that these two options do not exhaust the list of possible biological roles for R-M systems. Their presence in a cell may also have a bearing on other processes such as horizontal gene transfer and gene regulation.
Thermal performance evaluation of a mineral-based cement tile as roofing material
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
In tropical climates like India, solar radiation is the major source of heat gain through roofs as they are exposed to the sun throughout the day. As the ambient conditions are dynamic, it is important to look at periodic variation of heat flow through roofs. In this context, apart from U-values that the Energy Conservation Building Code of India (ECBC-2007) prescribes for envelopes, more specific performance indicators should be considered for designing energy efficient buildings.
Urban domestic water pricing in India and China
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
Despite significant differences in political and administrative structures, recent reforms in urban domestic water tariff regimes in India and China have had similar trajectories with important but sometimes nuanced differences. In both countries there has been a devolution of operational authority to municipal governments and acceptance of greater reliance on cost recovery through user fees.
Valuing setting-based recreation for selected visitors to national forests in the southern United States
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
In this study we estimate selected visitors' demand and value for recreational trips to settings such as developed vs. undeveloped sites in U.S. national forests in the Southern United States using the travel cost method. The setting-based approach allows for valuation of multi-activity trips to particular settings.
Vehicular exhaust emissions under current and alternative future policy measures for megacity Delhi, India
Research Paper
| January 11, 2018
This study analyses the impact of integrated mass rapid transit system (IMRTS) and other policy measures on air emissions from vehicular sources in Delhi region. The impacts have been studied for the passenger and goods vehicles separately. For this purpose three alternative scenarios for the passenger vehicles and two alternative scenarios for the goods vehicles have been analysed for the year 2021.