An eco-friendly Rashtrapati Bhavan

At a time when policy makers are racking their brains to bring down the growing pollution level in the country, Pratibha Patil has decided to convert the President Estate into an eco-friendly, green, energy efficient and a plastic-free model township.

The President of India believes in leading by example. At a time when policy makers are racking their brains to bring down the growing pollution level in the country, Pratibha Patil has decided to convert the President Estate into an eco-friendly, green, energy efficient and a plastic-free model township.

HT Image

The initiative has been called “Roshini” and Patil will formally inaugurate it in the first week of July. The solid waste management component of this initiative began at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday.

“The project will be implemented in collaboration with various agencies including Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of Renewable Energy, New Delhi Municipal Council among others. The project will be completed in phases,” said an official of the President’s Secretariat.

“In the initial stage, segregation of solid and wet wastes, rainwater harvesting and ban on usage of plastic bags will be done. Under the programme, the biodegradable waste would be composted in the President's Estate itself and the organic manure generated will be used in the Estate's gardens,” said Dr P.K. Sharma, Medical Officer, NDMC.

This will be followed by increasing the green cover in the estate. Energy audit and conservation and replacement of LPG gas by eco-friendly CNG piped gas will be done.

Rashtrapati Bhawan officials said that the initiative would not only help in converting the President’s Estate into a model township but would serve as a model for other townships to emulate.

“As part of this programme, the components which are proposed to be taken up in a time bound and phased manner include solid waste management, rain water harvesting, ban on usage of plastic bags and replacement by more eco-friendly products and increase in the green cover, protection of flora and fauna in the President's Estate,” stated a press release issued by Rashtrapati Bhawan.