India, World Bank ink loan agreement on energy efficiency
New Delhi, Aug 28 : India on Tuesday signed a $220-million loan agreement with the World Bank to scale up energy saving steps in residential and public sectors.
It inked another $80-million guarantee agreement for 'India Energy Efficiency Scale-Up Programme' that is expected to avoid lifetime emissions of 170 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and also help prevent additional generation of an estimated 10 gigawatt of greenhouse gases, an official statement said.
This would be over 50 per cent of India's target of 19.6 gigawatt as per the Paris Accord, it added.
The $220 million loan has a five-year grace period and a maturity of 19 years. The $80 million guarantee will partially cover repayment risks to commercial lenders or investors to enable Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) raise funds for its programme, the statement said.
The government said that the programme, to be implemented by the EESL, will strengthen EESL's institutional capacity and enhance its access to commercial financing.
Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Sameer Kumar Khare said that the agreement was one of the several steps taken by the government to meet its climate change commitments to reduce carbon intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030.
Acting World Bank Country Director in India, Hisham Abdo, said that the programme will help India move further towards a more resource efficient growth path.
He said that the additional guarantee from the World Bank will enable the EESL to access new sources of commercial funding, diversify its investor base and establish a track record for future access to financial markets.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
