Hotels to sign MoU to check pollution

The 35-odd 5-star hotels in the Capital will on Monday sign a memorandum of understanding with the Delhi government for time-bound and strict adherence to green guidelines. Darpan Singh reports.

The 35-odd 5-star hotels in the Capital will on Monday sign a memorandum of understanding with the Delhi government for time-bound and strict adherence to green guidelines.

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Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will be present at the Delhi Secretariat when director (environment) Anil Kumar signs the MoUs with the hotels.

A recent survey by the Delhi government had revealed most of these hotels were biggest guzzlers of power and water and were also causing massive air and water pollution.

As many as 16 5-star hotels had recently been found without dedicated treatment plants for the entire sewage waste they generated. They were only dealing with kitchen waste. They will be given six months for setting things right — three months for smaller initiatives such as solar heating systems and waste converters.

All hotels will have to install sewage treatment plants for treatment of the entire waste water, on-site use of treated water in flushing, cooling towers, horticulture, besides installation of solar water heating systems, organic waste convertors and biogas plants.

Hotels will also have to ensure composting, peripheral plantation, rain water harvesting, groundwater recharge and water auditing.

The green hotel guidelines that the government has put in place aims at reducing green house emissions and save energy and water.

The environment department used to monitor waste generated only in kitchens and laundries. But now the entire waste generated will be monitored.

“The practice of letting waste go down the drain at night has to stop. Treated water has to be reused,” said an official.