Workshop on Solid Waste Managment in the President's Estate as Part of the 'Roshini' Initiative Held

'Roshini' is an initiative taken on the directions of the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil to convert the President's Estate into an eco-friendly, green, energy efficient and a plastic free model township. The solid waste management component of this initiative began at the President's Estate today. The President shall make the formal inauguration of the complete initiative in the first week of July this year.

This endeavour 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 following components are proposed to be taken up in a time bound and phased manner: -

1. Solid Waste Management.

2. Liquid Waste Management - Water re-cycling.

3. Rain water harvesting.

4. Ban on usage of plastic bags and replacement by more eco-friendly products.

5. Increase in the green cover, protection of flora and fauna in the President's Estate.

6. Energy Audit and Conservation.

7. Usage and promotion of new and renewable sources of energy.

8. Replacement of LPG gas by eco-friendly CNG piped gas.

9. Making residents of the Estate more responsive, responsible and eco-friendly.

10. Institutionalization of the Programme.

A workshop-cum-training programme of residents of the President's Estate was organized today in the President's Estate, in collaboration with the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). Resident's were told about the benefits of the initiative and a street play was also acted out to further emphasize the importance of segregation of solid waste.

Under the solid waste management initiative individual households would be trained in segregating the bio-degradable and non-bio-degradable waste generated in each house and system of collection of this waste would be put in place. The bio-degradable waste would be composted in the President's Estate itself and the organic manure generated would then be used in the President's Gardens.

It is also proposed to convert the waste generated in the President's Gardens into vermi-compost. Presently, this waste is being collected in the Dalikhana and through a process of natural composting is being converted into manure. Vermi-composting of this waste would henceforth be taken up for which vermi-compost pits would be made in the Dalikhana area. Training of the staff was conducted with the help of the National Centre of Organic Farming Institute, Ghaziabad. Presently, the Garden Office procures vermi-compost for the Gardens. With this system in place the vermi-compost demand would be met indigenously.

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