‘Recycling UP’s waste can fetch Rs 381 cr revenue’

Experts on Thursday outlined how we can manage waste and make money while doing so. “The waste produced around us is worth gold. We just need to change our perception towards it,” said C Sirinivasan, project director, Indian GreenService (IGS) while addressing a gathering at an environmental awareness function held at Urdu Academy in Lucknow.

Putting a value to the waste generated in the state, Srinivasan said, “Processing of the waste produced in UP can fetch a revenue of R381 crore every month and provide employment to around 10 lakh people. This is the potential if we only realise it.”

He also described the process of waste management in ways that it generated revenue. “We can achieve much of the revenue just by segregating the waste and sending it for recycling within 72 hours,” he said.

Besides Srinivasan, other scientists and environmental experts also attended the function.

Professor Venkatesh Dutta who spoke after Srinivasan, informed the gathering about the ecological footprint and the need to reduce it. “Ecological footprint is the balance between biological capacity and our demands,” explained Dutta, adding, “If our demands from the nature increase, nature has to pay for it.”

Stating that our ecological footprint had tripled in three decades, Dutta urged the participants, specially children, to reduce it. “We must start cutting down the use of non-renewable energy sources and adopt ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’,” he said.

Speakers also stressed on taking lessons from nature. “We can learn many things from nature and the way it manages itself,” said PK Srivastav, a retired scientist. He cited examples showing how many aspects of science in our life were taken from nature. “Modern anti-slip footwear, water purifying straws and medical instruments are made on the basis of designs existing in nature,” he said, suggesting that one must look at nature to find answers to problems.

“Our only objective to organize the function was to create awareness about our environment in young people so that they may bring about a change,” said Dr Sikha Tripathi of Swayam Sidhha, an NGO that organised the event.