Latest news with #CDRI
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
PM Modi takes part in G7 Summit's outreach session on energy security
Kananaskis: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the outreach session on energy security at the 51st G7 Summit here on Tuesday. During his address, PM Modi highlighted the need to ensure energy security for all the people through a sustainable and green pathway and elaborated upon India's global initiatives such as International Solar Alliance (a treaty-based international organisation focused on solar energy), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) (it is a global partnership focused on enhancing the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, with strong support from national governments), and the Global Biofuels Alliance, towards this objective, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on social media platform X. Prime Minister Modi also said: "AI itself is an energy-intensive technology. If there is any way to sustainably fulfill the energy requirements of a technology-driven society, it is through renewable energy . Ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy is India's priority." India believes that any technology is valuable only if its benefits reach every person and no country in the Global South should be left behind, he added. India has democratised technology and empowered the economy as well as common people through Digital Public Infrastructure while meaningful and qualitative data is the guarantee of an inclusive, capable, and responsible AI, PM Modi added. "We have to work on global governance, to address concerns related to AI and promote innovation. In the era of AI, close collaboration between critical minerals and technology is essential. We have to make their supply chains safe and resilient." "Deep fake is a cause of great concern. Therefore, water-marking or clear declaration should be made on Al-generated content," the Prime Minister noted. "In the last century, we saw competition for energy. In this century, we will have to cooperate for technology. Moving forward on the fundamental principles of availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, India has chosen the path of inclusive development." "Despite being the world's fastest-growing major economy, India is a country that fulfilled the Paris Commitments ahead of time. We are rapidly moving towards the goal of Net Zero by 2070. Currently, renewable energy accounts for around 50 per cent of our total installed capacity." "Unfortunately, the Global South countries suffer the most from uncertainty and conflicts. They are the first to be hit by crises related to food, fuel, fertiliser, and finance. India considers it its responsibility to bring the priorities and concerns of the Global South to the world stage," PM Modi said. "There should be no place for double standards on terrorism. The terrorist attack that happened on April 22 was not only an attack on Pahalgam, but also on the soul, identity, and dignity of every Indian. It was an attack on the entire humanity. Terrorism is an enemy of humanity. It is against all countries that uphold democratic values. For global peace and prosperity, our thought and policy must be clear -- if any country supports terrorism, it will have to pay the price for it. On one hand, we are quick to impose all kinds of sanctions based on our own preferences," the Prime Minister added. Calling for attention to the concerns and priorities of the Global South, the Prime Minister noted that India took it as its responsibility to bring the voice of the Global South to the world stage, MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal said on X. "The Prime Minister reiterated India's stand against terrorism and thanked the world leaders at the G7 summit for condemning the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack. He urged them to galvanise global action against terrorism and underlined the need to take strict action against those who promote and support terrorism," he added on X. "The Prime Minister also highlighted India's experience in democratising use of technology and its human-centric approach in deploying it. He (PM Modi) called for addressing global governance issues to tackle concerns of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to promote innovation in the field," he noted on X. --IANS int/khz
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Waste mgmt the green way: CDRI turns kitchen, garden waste to compost
The ICAR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Jankipuram has committed to becoming a zero-waste campus by converting all its organic waste into compost. A newly installed bio-composting machine is now transforming kitchen and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost, marking a major push for eco-friendly solid waste management. The machine will be inaugurated on Wednesday along with a 1.2-MW solar power generation plant as part of World Environment Day celebrations by the institute. 'This innovative system processes organic waste from our canteen, hostel, and guest house kitchens by mixing it with horticultural waste such as leaves, grass, and shrubs,' said Radha Rangarajan, director of CDRI. 'It's not just waste disposal, it's resource regeneration.' The machine, with a daily processing capacity of 500 kg, produces high-quality compost within 24 to 48 hours. It features automated shredding, mixing, and continuous aeration while maintaining an optimal temperature of 60–70°C and moisture levels of 8–10%. This ensures efficient and odour-free decomposition with minimal energy consumption. Rangarajan added that the compost is used across the institute's gardens and other horticultural activities. 'The machine reduces waste volume by up to 80%, cuts down greenhouse gas emissions, and enriches the soil — directly supporting the work of our horticulture department.' Sanjeev Yadav, the institute's media coordinator, said that the kitchens preparing food for over 700 people generate significant amounts of organic waste. 'Additionally, the campus's vast green cover produces a large volume of garden waste. This machine helps us handle both responsibly,' he said. The campus also operates an effluent treatment plant (ETP) for laboratory waste and a sewage treatment plant (STP) for residential and office sewage. Treated water from these facilities is recycled to irrigate the campus's extensive plantations, further boosting its green footprint.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
CDRI announces $2.47 million climate fund for cities in Latin America, South Asia
New Delhi: The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) on Tuesday announced a USD 2.47 million fund to implement five urban resilience projects in 16 cities across five countries in Latin America and South Asia, including India. These projects aim to benefit nearly 2.9 million people in Bhutan, Brazil, Honduras, India, and Sri Lanka by creating climate-resilient cities through integrated planning, innovation, and community participation. CDRI is a global coalition that focuses on improving the resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risk. CDRI said in a press statement that with a commitment of USD 2.47 million from the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund, the CDRI's trust fund, these projects are said to generate an estimated savings of USD 91 million in operations and management and impact infrastructure investments exceeding USD 161 million in the 16 cities. In India, the funds will go into implementing risk-informed water security strategies in the Chikkaballapur district in Karnataka. CDRI said the project is likely to impact the lives of 300,000 people. Chikkaballapur district in Karnataka does not have perennial water sources for drinking water supply and agriculture. The only source is groundwater, which has already been overexploited. According to the CDRI statement, Chintamani, one of the focus cities, is plagued by challenges related to both groundwater and surface water, There is a high borewell failure rate due to a lack of knowledge of the region's geology and aquifers and the dumping of untreated sewage into water bodies, which is also leading to pollution. The project in Bhutan covers three cities -- Thimphu, Phuntsholing, and Samtse-- and aims to develop early warning systems and resilient public space planning. CDRI states these projects are expected to benefit 275,000 people in these cities. In Brazil, the focus is on nature-based solutions and data tools to reduce the impact of urban flooding on 70,000 residents of Porto Alegre. Creating climate-proof healthcare infrastructure is the focal point in Honduras, which aims to provide services to the 50,000 vulnerable residents. In Sri Lanka, real-time water monitoring and infrastructure upgrades will improve the lives of more than two million Colombo, Kotte, and Kelaniya residents. Announcing these projects, Amit Prothi, DG at the CDRI, said, 'These projects will empower cities worldwide to address evolving urban challenges in health, water, and climate through locally anchored, globally informed resilience planning solutions.'
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Country emerging as global leader in disaster response: Shah
New Delhi: UnionHome Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the disaster response forces have worked hard over the past 10 years to take the country on the verge of becoming a global leader in crisis management. Addressing the Relief Commissioners and Disaster Response Forces Conference, HM Shah said, 'In the last 10 years, we have achieved a lot in four areas of capacity, speed, efficiency and accuracy.' 'Speed is of essence in any operation related to disaster management. Timely response to a disaster and saving lives is the most important objective for which we have made big strides through training of workforce and introduction of technology and advance warning system for the community,' he said. 'Though the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) works under my ministry, I can confidently say that it has built a strong image, earned recognition, and gained respect across the country,' said HM Shah. The NDRF has also worked hard to train jawans of the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), he said. He praised National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), NDRF and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for bringing India closer to becoming a global leader in disaster management. HM Shah said till a decade ago disaster management was limited to offering relief after a calamity, however, over the decade India's disaster management is moving forward with a 'Zero Casualty Approach' which has even surprised the global community. The Union Minister stressed on research to improve advance warning systems for disaster response and mitigation. 'We have succeeded in redefining our disaster response from reactive to pro-active over the decade,' said HM Shah, adding that 'Bhagidhari' has been the foundation of improving the response system. 'Starting from the Central government to State governments and to local bodies, a unified approach has been adopted for disaster response. Now, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi we are even involving the community in the effort,' he said. HM Shah said in the coming decade each of the youth in the country will be equipped with the capability to join disaster response. Highlighting the multi-dimensional approach of the government, HM Shah said the budgetary allocation for disaster response forces has also been increased three-fold over the past decade. 'In the case of NDRF, the allocation was Rs 28,000 crore between 2004 and 2014 but during 2014 and 2024 it was raised to Rs 84,000 crore,' he said. For the SDRF, the budget between 2004 and 2014 was Rs 38,000 crore but between 2014 and 2024 it was increased to Rs 1.44 lakh crore, he said. Coalition for CDRI, an international organisation launched by PM Modi, is a global partnership of 49 members dedicated to climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure solutions. It is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academia. CDRI advances the cause of climate and disaster resilient infrastructure (DRI).
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
ICDRI 2025: PM Modi outlines key global priorities to strengthen disaster resilience, early warning systems, coordination
The seventh year of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), organised by the New Delhi-headquartered Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), was held on June 6 and 7 in Nice, France. This is the first time the conference was held in Europe with the CDRI as the co-chair. ICDRI 2025 is aligned with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Geneva, and third U.N. Oceans Conference (UNOC3), in Nice. This year's focus is on coastal communities, which contribute roughly $1.5 trillion to global GDP annually — a figure projected to rise to nearly $3 trillion by 2030. In addition, nearly 90% of goods moved globally are transported by sea. Addressing virtually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 7 outlined key global priorities to strengthen disaster resilience, the need for early warning systems and coordination. Major disasters Highlighting the theme of the conference, 'Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions,' the Prime Minister underscored the vulnerability of coastal regions and islands to natural disasters and climate change. Citing recent disasters, including Cyclone Remal in India and Bangladesh, Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean, Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Helene in the United States, Typhoon Usagi in the Philippines, and Cyclone Chido in parts of Africa, he emphasised that these disasters had caused significant damage to human lives and property, reinforcing the need for resilient infrastructure and proactive disaster management. 'With its past experiences with devastating disasters, including the super-cyclone of 1999 and the tsunami of 2004, India has adapted and rebuilt with resilience, constructing cyclone shelters across vulnerable areas and contributing to the establishment of a tsunami warning system benefiting 29 countries,' Mr. Modi said. The CDRI is working with 25 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to build resilient homes, hospitals, schools, energy systems, water security measures, and early warning systems. Mr. Modi talked about the importance of integrating disaster resilience courses, modules, and skill development programmes into higher education to build a skilled workforce equipped to tackle future challenges. 'There is a need for a global digital repository to document best practices and learnings from countries that have faced disasters and rebuilt with resilience. Disaster resilience requires innovative financing; we need to create actionable programmes to ensure developing nations have access to necessary funds as the third priority,' he added. On India's recognition of SIDS as Large Ocean Countries, the Prime Minister emphasised the need for special attention to their vulnerabilities. 'The construction of infrastructure that remain steadfast against time and tide is key; there is a need for resilience in development and with global efforts a strong and disaster-resilient future for the world can be built.' Welcoming African Union as a new member of CDRI, P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and co-chair of the CDRI, announced the African Union Commission as the newest member of the coalition. 'Fifty-four members from different countries have joined the CDRI and are bound by a common belief that resilience must be embedded in the very foundations of development.' Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said, 'Resilient infrastructure is not just a policy option — it is a necessity for survival. We believe that resilience begins not at the shoreline but in the minds and systems we build.' Rachel Kyte, U.K. Special Representative for Climate, said, 'As climate-fueled disasters escalate, insurers are pulling out, raising rates, and narrowing coverage. It is a pressing global issue, especially urgent for developing economies.' Announcements at the conference included the awarding of research grants for 53 projects spanning 21 countries, as well as a call to action for accelerating infrastructure resilience in small island nations. The emphasis was on the urgent need for global collaboration and investment. About 37% of the world's population lives within 100 km of the coast, where the population density is twice the global average. While all coastal areas face growing challenges, SIDS are especially vulnerable because of their remoteness and isolation. CDRI Director General Amit Prothi said, 'Coastal resilience is essential for safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and economies. Being delivered in Europe for the first time, in partnership with the Government of France, the 7th edition of CDRI's annual conference will again foster inclusive dialogue and forge action-oriented partnerships to advance the cause of disaster-resilient infrastructure. Through our IRIS programme, we are supporting 24 projects across 25 SIDS, driving sustainable and inclusive infrastructure development.' CDRI was launched by Mr. Modi at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in September 2019 and is a major global initiative playing a leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters. CDRI released the working paper on 'Infrastructure Resilience in Small Island Developing States'. The paper provides an assessment of infrastructure risks in SIDS, offering policymakers guidance on multi-hazard threats, expected losses, and a resilience framework integrating financial, institutional, governance, nature-based, and technological solutions for sustainable adaptation.
