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Sustainability Policy and

Strategies

CETSD
IIT Jodhpur
Sustainable Development Efforts by IIT Jodhpur
Through Use of Emerging Technologies

Overarching Goal:
Mobilize academic, fund generated, research and laboratory
capabilities, student and personnel skill, and social scientific
responsibility capacities of IIT Jodhpur to advance emerging
technologies for knowledge preservation of adapted
communities, adopt sustainable climate resilient systems,
water conservation measures, natural resource management,
and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Geographic Setting: Snapshot Evolution of the

IIT Jodhpur students and Sustainability Center
administration have unique From 2019 IIT Jodhpur declared
understanding of their relationship its commitment to making Western
with the environment they live in. Rajasthan the most sustainable
Here on the eastern edge of the desert institution in India by
Thar Desert, they know intimately setting up the Center for Emerging
the importance of co-existing Technologies for Sustainable
communities and their adaptations Development (CETSD). More can
while living with resilience to be read from here*.
extreme heat, water management, In the meantime, IIT Jodhpur
soils and the flora and fauna. outlines its climate action plan and
While IIT Jodhpur is young, IIT also role of CETSD to affirm its
Jodhpur look with bold vision resolve to put climate resilient
toward the sustainability. technologies in the service of the
(*IITJ-Indian Institute of location.
Technology Jodhpur)

2022-23 CETSD PAGE 2

 CETSD Action Strategy
At the Center The Climate Action Plan outlined here,
puts forward the necessary steps to
for achieve this vision, charting the path
to preserving adaptation knowledge
of societies, its related technologies,
Emerging carbon neutrality, climate resilient
agriculture, zero waste, water and soil
Technologies conservation to preserve Thar desert
ecosystem. It is a data-driven strategy
which follows a “DECLARE model”
for proposed by CETSD towards
achieving the objectives of the plan.
Sustainable • Develop a network with
industries and NGO networks for
knowledge sharing and working in
Development partnerships for applying emerging
technologies for achieving SDGs
(CETSD) • Enable a strong internal
structure and sustainability studies
(technology, policy, social aspects,
management, legal and financial)
expertise base within the centre
• Close connected with the other
entities in IITJ, for actualizing the
emerging technology work , along
with strong capacity building, and
undertake projects.
• Link with government to enable
applying emerging technologies for
helping governmental to carry out its
activities.
• Actionable focus on small
partnership viable funding with
industry and NGO to put technologies
on the ground within minimal time to
put CETSD on the global map
• Responsibility: scientific social
responsibility aspects.
• Engage: Students take concerted
action for generating awareness
amongst themselves by involve them
through campus sustainability projects
and academic projects.

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Role of CETSD Towards Climate Change Aspects of
Thar Desert Region
CETSD will become a hub to greenhouse gas emissions inventory for baseline
emission level study and track future course for the region.
The confluence of rapid population growth and the threat of uncertain climate
environments pose challenges for the Thar Desert Region and its ecological
sustainability.
• CETSD coordinates interdisciplinary research and community outreach to
improve soil and water conservation aspects.
• CETSD studies the cognitive processes by which artisans, scientists, farmers
and individuals make decisions, apply sophisticated models of decision science to
soil- water engineering problems related to this Thar desert ecosystem.
• Development of GIS-based decision-support tools that foster better long-term
and more integrated decision making, use river flow, ecology, health and climate
changes to define the dimensions of uncertainty observed in the region is one of the
major objectives.
IIT Jodhpur thus aims to promote and encourage innovative educational programs
organized around climate change, emissions, natural resource use, water
conservation, public health and decision making.
IIT Jodhpur’s CETSD allows state personnel, national decision makers and scientists
to collaborate on sustainable technologies and sustainability of technologies towards
climate change solutions and societal development.

The Climate Change Conundrum and Solving the Micro or

Regional Way

Even science and technology may not reduce significantly the uncertainty associated
with climate change. The change of climate cycles leads to irregular droughts and
floods in India including the nearby the Western Rajasthan region. The large
increase in demography and better economic status of the society has increased the
expanse and intensity of urban heat island towards the rural areas too.
In collaboration with district, state, and national researchers, CETSD will produce
basic interdisciplinary research about climatic uncertainty, natural resource
availability, waste management, emissions and human decision making.
Registrant of The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI)
Further IIT Jodhpur is designed as a living laboratory and interdisciplinary
platform with following areas: 1. Ecosystem Science, 2. Sustainable Development
3. Geospatial Sciences, 4. Sustainability Auditing or accounting/ESG Financing/Risk
Mitigation), 5. Public Health, 6. Human Ecology, 7. Sustainable Urban Planning
8. Natural Resource Management (including Net Zero goals), 9. Sustainability of
Water

CETSD documents environment changes with the Campus Sustainability Projects. It

should be equipped to be able to continuously respond to the ever-changing climate
and unique emerging needs of the society. The effectiveness of the actions of IIT
Jodhpur will be modelled in lines with Higher Education Sustainability Initiative, a
global education network under the UN of which IIT Jodhpur is a registered
member. We acknowledge the enormous support and assistance that affiliate faculty
2022-23 CETSD PAGE 4
across departments and core faculty of CETSD have put to writing this plan, with
special thanks to the students, Office of Director and Office of Infrastructure
Engineering at IIT Jodhpur.

Climate Actions in Sight of IIT Jodhpur,

1. Create a skilled and entrepreneurially developed underserved communities who

had adapted to the livelihood through local available natural resource in the Thar
Desert Region.
2. To proactively avail community stakeholder participation, feedback and inputs on
all major climate policy, actions and related budgetary initiatives.
3. Lead by practice carbon capture, water conservation, waste management and use
of clean and renewable energy use on campus as well as amongst its stakeholders
and collaborators.
4. Reduce campus based carbon emissions from buildings, transportation, and
waste to negligible levels by 2050.
5. Support increased energy efficiency, renewable energy and new electric vehicle
transportation and related charging requirements within campus.
6. Make sure that all new construction is being net-positive in both energy and
materials by 2050.
7.. Implement activities and technologies that turn waste into resources.
8. Support participatory activities, government schemes and local collaborations to
enable good agriculture, ecology, public health and waste management in Western
Rajasthan.
9.. Support green land use and development tools, prioritize people arriving by
walking, biking, or using electric or solar vehicle transit, thereby reducing
dependence on non-renewable fuel vehicles;
10. Implementing the shaded corridors.
11. To harvest water, monitor and digitize water grid within campus, enable and
work with water positive organizations and empower them with water conserving
technologies for societal implementation of water conservation practices.
12. Create, maintain a local food system with healthy, affordable and culturally
appropriate food for all Jodhpur residents.
13. Significantly improve air quality and reduce mining activities on the existing
remaining Aravalli ranges of the region.

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 Sustainability
Policy and Climate
Action Strategy
2021-2026

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Water Management
Aim: To conserve water through use of water efficient technologies, emerging climate
resilient science and water management strategies.
Focus: Application of climate resilient water conservation technologies developed by IIT
Jodhpur for the agrarian economy and societies of Western Rajasthan.
Key performance indicators on Campus
 Total individual building or infrastructure water consumption on campus
 Demographic water consumption per individual on campus
 Density of water saving technologies per individual
 Water use for landscape management: per unit area
 Basic volume of water available per animal or bird population for different seasons
 Water use projects enabling communities.
Key implementation strategies
 Extension of ongoing smart monitoring of water on campus
 Identifying time of water use, locations and landscape areas of potential water
savings.
 Implement of technologies which are water efficient and positive water use
projects.
 Installing water management measures, such as rainwater harvesting and
sustainable irrigation systems.
 To establish community based water projects on the ground for hydro power
generation.
Implemented Example Case Studies Through CETSD
1. Campus Sustainability Projects 2020-2021 can be accessed from IITJ-Indian
Institute of Technology Jodhpur
2. Canal Based Hydro Power Operated Irrigation Project 2022-23 can be accessed
from https://youtu.be/_yyyNnbb0F8
3. As an example of implementation of water filter technology developed by IIT
Jodhpur and used in different districts of Rajasthan, India. Some glimpses of the
G filter in use at different locations are shown in Fig. 1 below.

Fig.1: G Filter a clay ceramic gravity based water filter for household water treatment

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Non Renewable Energy and Carbon Foot Print
Aim: To use renewable source for energy production and practice it in a sustainable
manner on the field.
Focus: Application of resource conserving technologies developed by IIT Jodhpur for
reduction of non-renewable energy source use. IITJ aspires to be carbon neutral in all
types of energy expenses by 2050.
Key performance indicators
1. Exhaust emission capture from diesel generators on Campus
2. To put at least one technology (in five years) in locations with flowing water
potential to wean farmers away from diesel water pumping devices
3. To find the limiting value to carbon footprint per capita for an organization.
4. Carbon emissions from water and energy use respectively.
5. Number of carbon credits amassed by the campus or organization.

Key implementation strategies

1. Industrial collaboration for their exhaust emission capture
2. To serve farming communities with available running water potential across India
to help them reduce their diesel costs
3. To do carbon foot print calculations for the organization and its infrastructure.
4. Use electricity consumption incentive program to incorporate competitiveness to
reduce electricity use.
5. Dissemination of the knowledge of renewable energy through programs and
scholarships.
6. To collaborate with organizations who are best in their run towards carbon
neutrality.
Implemented Example Case Studies Through CETSD
1. Onsite capture and utilization of exhaust CO2 for algae biomass production: The
adaptability of micro algae to capture carbon dioxide was showcased. The algal
growth can help in biofuel production. This was a project practiced on campus at
IIT Jodhpur.
2. Hydropower use for Irrigation: The stored water potential was extracted using an
undershot waterwheel as primer and a centrifugal pump was used to pump water
to irrigate more than 100 acres of land in Lalitpur District in Uttar Pradesh. This
is illustrated in IIT Jodhpur initiative to help farmers | Affordable and Sustainable
Irrigation, https://youtu.be/_yyyNnbb0F8
3. Managing Carbon Foot Print of IITJ Campus: A six-month long study as a
requirement towards the completion of B. Tech degree of two students was
performed under the guidance for Prof Sudipta Das, Professor of Practice from
FutureStation Advisors LLP and Office of Infrastructure at IIT Jodhpur. The report
can be accessed here.
4. INTPART Project: "Collaborative Research Based Education for Optimized
Performance of Wind Farms” is a major project running at the CETSD, IITJ.

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Preservation of Flora and Fauna: Ecological Conservation
Aim: To preserve the wealth of biodiversity present on campus and in the region.
Focus: Application of visual and motion based sensing technologies as well as
participatory citizen based app based approaches developed by IIT Jodhpur.
Key performance indicators on Campus
1. Statistics of the distinct species of animals and plants
2. Density of the location of habitats or nests of animals, and birds.
3. Temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar irradiance in the location under
study.
4. Availability of food and water for the animal and plant biodiversity.

Key implementation strategizes

1. To undertake baseline survey of biodiversity within the region including the
campus
2. To recommends removal of invasive species, plant local plants and improve
afforestation with local species within the habitat
3. Creation of constructed wetland
4. Develop local produce and implement purchase of local foods and its sustenance.
5. To create a database with participatory awareness.

Implemented Example Case Studies Through CETSD

1. Biodiversity mapping project under the campus sustainability projects:
development of Prakriti1.1 app
2. Saline Soil Reclamation and Water Conservation using Sub-surface Porous Vessel
Technologies developed at IIT Jodhpur.

Fig. 2: a) Prakriti 1.1 app, a online Thar Desert bio-inventory platform b) the SSPV
technology in front of Jodhpur club.

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Waste Management
Aim: To manage waste using Rethink, Reuse, Refurbish, Rot, Recycle, Refuse, Redesign,
Reduce and Recover strategies on Campus and at locations of intervention by IIT
Jodhpur.
Focus: Application of indigenous, emerging smart waste management technologies as
well as sustainable use and disposal strategies by IIT Jodhpur.
Key performance indicators on Campus
1. Statistics of the type of waste generated annually across the different
infrastructures across the campus
2. Per capita solid waste production
3. Percent waste composted, recycles, reused, and recovered.
4. Amount of food wastage reduced on campus.
5. Amount of specific plastic and paper types recycled.
Key Implementation Strategizes
1. Management strategy for source segregation of solid waste
2. Local design of campus waste management technologies
3. Adaptation of available indigenous technologies
4. Smart waste transport routing strategy
5. Reuse strategies for excavation or construction waste
6. Decontamination of soils using emerging technologies
7. Location suitability mapping for transient waste storage
8. Collaboration and tie-up with all regional stakeholders to enable regional waste
management.

Implemented Example Case Studies Through CETSD

1. The Office of Students and Office of Infrastructure Engineering collaborated to put
Khamba Composters across different locations as shown in Fig. 3 a and 3b.
2. The Office of Infrastructure Engineering also placed the mincing machines
designed by Central Workshop Office Colleagues under the guidance of CETSD
affiliate faculty. The machine is shown in Fig. 3 c below.

Fig. 3: a) Khamba Composter for organic wet waste in Girls Hostel b) Khamba
Composters at Director’s Bungalow c) Mincing Machine for tender coconut and hard
horticulture waste simplification to fiber form.

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Teaching Sustainability and Research
Aim: To undertake research that is related to sustainability of technologies and
technologies towards sustainability which help in achieving the SDG at CETSD, IIT
Jodhpur.
Focus: To provide faculty staff, students and society access to formal or informal research
and learning opportunities to develop their knowledge, hands-on skills and
understanding relating to sustainability through CETSD.
Key performance indicators on Campus
1. Programs available to all stakeholder to improve their sustainability education
2. Number of students enrolled in the individual programs of sustainability and
technology
3. Projects which train of aspects of sustainability and natural resource
management
4. Dedicated staff members related to sustainability projects
5. Dedicated core and affiliate faculty to teach concepts of sustainability in different
inter-disciplinary areas of sciences, engineering and technology.
Key Implementation Strategizes
1. Student Enrolment: More students are enrolled in PG programs on PhD and MS
(Research) on Sustainability and Technology at CETSD
2. Sustainability and Livelihood Projects: To vie for governmental and non-
governmental opportunities which can bring livelihood and knowledge
dissemination program to the neighbouring societies.
3. To create new MDP or certification program which can disseminate about
sustainability to government, non-government and society continuing education
aspirants.

Implemented Example Case Studies Through CETSD

1. Rolling advertisement for PhD in Sustainability and Technology at CETSD from
2022.
2. MS (Research) in Sustainability and Technology for self-financing students from
2023.
3. STI hub (2023-26) for dissemination of appropriate technologies developed at
IIT Jodhpur to communities across different parts of Thar Desert.

For More Details

Please write to
Head, CETSD
Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur
Karwar, Jodhpur
Rajasthan, India
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 091 (291) 2801717

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