Environmental engineering

Prof. Sudhakar Yedla, Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur is appointed as the Director of NIT Srinagar

Prof. Sudhakar Yedla, Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur is appointed as the Director of NIT Srinagar

Prof. Sudhakar Yedla, an Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (1996/M.Tech/AG/2000/PhD CE) is appointed as the Director of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar. A Professor at IGIDR and a Former Vice-Chancellor of Dravidian University, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India, Prof Yedla is a Civil Engineering graduate from Andhra University who completed his Masters and PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in the area of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering. Joined IGIDR in 1999, Prof. Yedla is a Civil Engineer with Masters and PhD in Environmental Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. He is also trained in Environmental Economics and Development Policy…
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Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment & Healthcare for Science & Society

Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment & Healthcare for Science & Society

INDO-US, INDO-AUSTRALIA AND INDO-CANADA INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKSHOPS AT IIT KHARAGPUR The Bioprocess & Bioproduct Development Laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur along with the collaborators from USA, Australia, and Canada organized three days workshop under the Government of India’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) from 24th to 26th February 2023. The workshops were inaugurated by Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur in the august presence of Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti, Dean BTBS, IIT Kharagpur. The workshop saw a footfall of  more than 80 participants from both within…
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Studying Plastic Pollution in the Ganga with National Geographic

Studying Plastic Pollution in the Ganga with National Geographic

Ganga, the life source of Northern and Eastern India is a prominent area of study by researchers from diverse disciplines, a key among them is the environment. In 2019, the National Geographic Society organized the expedition "Sea to Source: Ganges" to scientifically document plastic waste in the Ganges watershed and support holistic and inclusive solutions. A proud partner in this women scientists-led expedition was IIT Kharagpur along with the Isabela Foundation, University of Dhaka, the Wildlife Institute of India, and Wild Team Bangladesh. Researchers and students from an environment-focused group at the Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Kharagpur participated in…
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Turning Steel Slug Dump to Greenery Hub, IIT Kharagpur’s Transformative Work at Odisha

Turning Steel Slug Dump to Greenery Hub, IIT Kharagpur’s Transformative Work at Odisha

IIT Kharagpur Researchers Transform Steel Plant Slag Dumps in Odisha into Greenbelt Using Traditional Indian Organic Components and Japanese Afforestation Techniques A drive through Angul, near the Dhenkanal region of Odisha will give you vast stretches of green canopy and vegetation on what was once industrial dumpsites. The transformation to a green belt is not a natural reclamation but the Midas touch of the Post Mining Mine Site Restoration group of the Department of Mining Engineering of IIT Kharagpur through a project supported by Tata Steel BSL. The researchers afforested over 32000 square feet in the region following a rapid…
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Cucumber Peels for Ecofriendly Food Packaging

Cucumber Peels for Ecofriendly Food Packaging

Are you throwing away the cucumber peels after preparing your salad? You may soon have them back in your kitchen as the eco-friendly packaging material for food items. IIT Kharagpur researchers have developed cellulose nanocrystals from cucumber peels with high cellulose content, compared to other peel wastes, which can be used to create food packaging materials. While single-use plastic is consciously being avoided by consumers, they still remain largely in circulation as food packaging items. Natural biopolymers are unable to make way in this industry as they lack strength, elongation, barrier property, optical property, and in some cases even biological…
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How safe is your tea in a paper cup?

How safe is your tea in a paper cup?

IIT Kharagpur Research Gives Evidence of Microplastic Pollution in the Hot Liquid Consumed from Disposable Paper Cups With the current crusade against single-use plastic, disposable paper cups are on the rise especially for consuming water and hot beverages. But even these cups are not without peril. Recent research by IIT Kharagpur has confirmed contamination of the hot liquid served in paper cups due to the degradation of microplastics and other hazardous components from the lining material of the cup.  Paper cups are usually lined by a thin layer of hydrophobic film which is made of mostly plastic (polyethylene) and sometimes…
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IIT Kharagpur Researchers Develop Industry-grade Silica from Rice Biomass

IIT Kharagpur Researchers Develop Industry-grade Silica from Rice Biomass

Rice husk is one of the most widely available agricultural wastes. The process of disposal of rice husks looks more crucial as burning the material each year during the winters has been creating a severe environmental challenge. While the husk is often used to meet energy requirements for rice milling, this process produces an enormous amount of ash (approx. 20%) which is a hazardous material to the environment. Researchers at IIT Kharagpur have devised an economic and eco-friendly way to dispose of this biowaste. A team of researchers from IIT Kharagpur’s Dept. of Agricultural and Food Engineering have developed a…
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IEI Young Engineering Award for Kgpian

IEI Young Engineering Award for Kgpian

Alumnus Sneha Gautam has been conferred the IEI Young Engineering Award 2019 – 20 by the Institution of Engineers (India), in recognition of his contribution to the field of Environmental Engineering. Dr. Gautam completed his PhD in 2015 from IIT Kharagpur's Dept. of Mining Engineering in the area of Environmental Engineering. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Dr. Gautam is engaged in fundamental and application-oriented cross-disciplinary research. He focuses on the interfaces of clean air engineering/science, human health and smart/sustainable living in cities/megacities.…
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