Union min calls for collective action to build sustainable Gurugram

Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh launched the Gurugram Sustainability Handbook 2026 to tackle the city’s environmental challenges through informed decisions and collaboration.

Updated on: Aug 14, 2026, 22:51:10 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Stressing the need for informed decision-making and collaborative action to address Gurugram’s growing environmental challenges, Union Minister of State and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh on Friday launched the Gurugram Sustainability Handbook 2026, a comprehensive report assessing the city’s sustainability landscape across key sectors, including water, waste, energy and mobility.

The handbook, the fifth publication in the series by civic organisation “Gurgaon First”, examines the city’s key environmental challenges, highlights emerging solutions and best practices, and proposes a roadmap for creating a more resilient and sustainable urban future. Besides sector-wise assessments, it also focuses on governance, citizen participation and institutional collaboration.

Launching the publication, Singh underscored the importance of collective efforts to address the city’s environmental concerns and encouraged stakeholders to work together to build a sustainable Gurugram.

Addressing the gathering, Shubhra Puri, founder and director of “Gurgaon First”, said credible information was essential for informed public participation and better urban governance.

“Gurgaon First strongly believes that good-quality, credible information is the foundation of active citizenship. We hope the handbook helps identify areas where Gurugram can do better, encourages informed conversations among stakeholders and sparks ideas, collaboration and, most importantly, action,” she said.

Researcher Aayush Dasgupta presented the handbook’s findings, while sector experts Chetan Aggarwal, Rahul Khera, Sarika Panda Bhatt and Sangeeta Nayyar shared insights into key sustainability issues facing the city.

According to the organisers, the publication is intended to serve as a resource for policymakers, businesses, researchers, civil society organisations and citizens by providing data-driven analysis and practical recommendations to improve sustainability outcomes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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