managing waste: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Pune, plans to set up a 200-tonne per day Municipal Solid Waste treatment plant. The PCMC has proposed to provide 2.8 hectares of land to Biopower & Compost Private Limited, a subsidiary of Global Environmental Engineering (GEE), for constructing the plant. The company plans to generate 1.5 to 2 MW of power per day, alongwith 50 tonnes of organic fertiliser. For this purpose, GEE will employ a specially developed anaerobic digestion process. The project cost is estimated at Rs 20 crores. Pune generates 1,500 tonnes of solid wastes daily, offering immense possibility for power generation.
focus on healthcare: India and Russia plan to enhance scientific cooperation with focus on healthcare sciences, biotechnology and ocean development. Both the countries have stressed the need to set up a technology information centre in order to commercialise technologies. V S Ramamurthy, secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), says that it is essential to bring in technology to the market. Indian scientists and their counterparts from Russia have decided to evolve joint projects in the areas of health, biotechnology and ocean engineering.
herbal tea: Ayur, an Indian herbal cosmetic brand, has introduced in the market a natural health drink called herb-T. Company officials claim that the product will be 'caffeine-free'. They expect that consumers would like the herb-T. The tea is priced at Rs 38 for 100 gm. Ayur, which has a market share of 25 per cent in the Rs 120-crore herbal cosmetic market, is expected to double its turnover during the next financial year.
five-in-one: Australian scientists have developed a revolutionary vaccine for babies that can prevent whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus, meningitis and hepatitis B. It may also stop other diseases covered by the traditional triple antigen vaccine. The drug is poised to take on the huge world immunisation market after successful clinical trials in Melbourne, Australia. The vaccine, Pentavax, could replace the three-in-one shots that have been used to immunise babies in Victoria for almost half-a-century.
save the taj: SHV energy group, a Netherlands-based company, will supply 100 per cent propane-based low pressure gas fuel for industrial use in the Taj Trapezium area. This will help reduce pollution by industries near the Taj. The Supreme Court had recently directed the Uttar Pradesh government to close down all industries in this area or relocate them in other areas in order to save the Taj from toxic pollutants. SHV has signed agreements with several out of 150 industries around the Taj Mahal. Officials in the company said that the supply of propane will ensure minimum pollution in the area.
biotech deal: The US-based company DuPont plans to dispose of its mainstay Conoco oil and gas business and spend the proceeds on expanding life science operations. The company is expected to focus on pharmaceuticals and agricultural biotechnology. Last year, the company spent about US $3 billion on life sciences acquisitions. At present, biotechnology and drugs account for less than 20 per cent of DuPont's net operating income. It plans to increase the share to 30 per cent by the year 2002.
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