Browsing by Author "Kumar, Nishant"

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    Implementation of CSR Legislation in India through the Lens of Its Beneficiaries: A Case Study of Malwa Region, Punjab, India
    (Oxford University Press, 2020-09-11T00:00:00) Kumar, Nishant; Chauhan, Deepak Kumar
    This study examines how the Indian CSR law has been implemented and enforced by companies and industries situated in the Malwa region of Punjab state in India. Malwa region, one of the most industrialized clusters of the state, is also simultaneously one of its most polluted areas. Given the severe health effects that these polluting industries cause, implementing the law on CSR in its true spirit is of grave importance. This study uses in-depth interviews of the intended project beneficiaries to determine the state of implementation of the Indian CSR regulatory framework for the selected geographical region. Using the above methodology, this article suggests that businesses should strive at mitigation of the risks of their production and manufacturing activities to the community and the environment. Rather, CSR is viewed by companies as donating part of the companies' profits to CSR activities, and undertaking social-welfare activities to meet statutory obligations. Hence, this article further determines that there is a need to implement the CSR law in its true spirit by developing an understanding among the companies on the concept and importance of CSR, which goes beyond profit donations. This article concludes with several policy recommendations that can be utilized by the government to strengthen the state of implementation of the law in not only the Malwa region, but also the entire country. � The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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    Rice husk biochar - A novel engineered bio-based material for transforming groundwater-mediated fluoride cycling in natural environments
    (Academic Press, 2023-05-24T00:00:00) Kumar, Rakesh; Sharma, Prabhakar; Sharma, Pushpa Kumari; Rose, Pawan Kumar; Singh, Rakesh Kumar; Kumar, Nishant; Sahoo, Prafulla Kumar; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Ghosh, Ashok; Kumar, Manish; Bhattacharya, Prosun; Pandey, Ashok
    Biochar, a promising carbon-rich and carbon-negative material, can control water pollution, harness the synergy of sustainable development goals, and achieve circular economy. This study examined the performance feasibility of treating fluoride-contaminated surface and groundwater using raw and modified biochar synthesized from agricultural waste rice husk as problem-fixing renewable carbon-neutral material. Physicochemical characterizations of raw/modified biochars were investigated using FESEM-EDAX, FTIR, XRD, BET, CHSN, VSM, pHpzc, Zeta potential, and particle size analysis were analyzed to identify the surface morphology, functional groups, structural, and electrokinetic behavior. In fluoride (F?) cycling, performance feasibility was tested at various governing factors, contact time (0�120 min), initial F? levels (10�50 mg L?1), biochar dose (0.1�0.5 g L?1), pH (2�9), salt strengths (0�50 mM), temperatures (301�328 K), and various co-occurring ions. Results revealed that activated magnetic biochar (AMB) possessed higher adsorption capacity than raw biochar (RB) and activated biochar (AB) at pH 7. The results indicated that maximum F? removal (98.13%) was achieved using AMB at pH 7 for 10 mg L?1. Electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, pore fillings, and surface complexation govern F? removal mechanisms. Pseudo-second-order and Freundlich were the best fit kinetic and isotherm for F? sorption, respectively. Increased biochar dose drives an increase in active sites due to F? level gradient and mass transfer between biochar-fluoride interactions, which reported maximum mass transfer for AMB than RB and AB. Fluoride adsorption using AMB could be described through chemisorption processes at room temperature (301 K), though endothermic sorption follows the physisorption process. Fluoride removal efficiency reduced, from 67.70% to 53.23%, with increased salt concentrations from 0 to 50 mM NaCl solutions, respectively, due to increased hydrodynamic diameter. Biochar was used to treat natural fluoride-contaminated surface and groundwater in real-world problem-solving measures, showed removal efficiency of 91.20% and 95.61%, respectively, for 10 mg L?1 F? contamination, and has been performed multiple times after systematic adsorption-desorption experiments. Lastly, techno-economic analysis was analyzed for biochar synthesis and F? treatment performance costs. Overall, our results revealed worth output and concluded with recommendations for future research on F? adsorption using biochar. � 2023 Elsevier Ltd