IEP Chandigarh, November 28
Considering the environment as a circular economy, a well organised structure needs to be established to implement new systems and programs for environmental protection, said Haryana Chief Secretary, Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal during a round-table meeting chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Smt. Vini Mahajan through video-conferencing. He said that only then the circular economy would be put on ground in true sense and environmental protection will be ensured by using resources wisely.
The meeting convened to discuss strategies and action plans related to the environment-circular economy was attended by Chief Secretaries of various states and commissioners of several municipal corporations from across the country.
Department or special cell for implementation of various activities for circular economy have to be set up
During the meeting, Chief Secretary Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal said that various activities under environmental protection at the central and state level are currently being carried out by different departments such as urban local bodies, development and panchayats, new and renewable energy, agriculture and farmers welfare, among others. “If we want to move in the direction of an eco-circular economy, then first of all, for the implementation of all these activities, either a department or a special cell has to be established; in which the officials of other related departments will work in the same direction by establishing mutual coordination. Only then, the desired objectives of eco-circular economy will be achieved,” suggested Sh. Kaushal.
Supporting the suggestion given by Chief Secretary Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal; Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Smt. Vini Mahajan directed the other stakeholders and state governments to work in this direction and send their suggestions and comments on the subject at the earliest. During the meeting, the functioning of the ongoing C&D Waste Plant in Gurugram was also appreciated.
Prepare compiled report on suggestions and comments on environment-circular economy
The Chief Secretary directed the officials of the department of Environment and Climate Change and Urban Local Bodies to prepare a compiled report in the next three days by studying the suggestions and comments given by the officials and experts in all the round table meetings that have been organised so far for the environment-circular economy.
Emphasis has to be given on door-to-door collection
Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal said that waste segregation has to be strengthened under the circular economy. He instructed the officials of the Urban Local Bodies department that under the pilot project in Yamunanagar, the work of collecting solid and liquid waste separately from the houses should be strictly implemented and it should also be ensured that the waste is delivered to the plants for systematic disposal.
He also directed the study of door-to-door garbage collection work; its execution and commercial activities being done by the Municipal Corporation in Indore. Apart from this, a scientific study of the activities and results of the ongoing C&D Waste Management Plant in Gurugram should also be done.
Works being done in Haryana for waste management
The Chief Secretary said that at present several steps are being taken by the Haryana government for solid and liquid waste management, C&D waste management and agricultural waste management. He said that Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) have been installed for solid and liquid waste management. He informed that C&D Waste Management Plant is operational in Gurugram, while another similar plant has been started recently in Faridabad. In addition, another plant is under construction at Manesar, he added.
It was apprised in the meeting that the 2G ethanol plant set up in Panipat has the capacity to consume 2 lakh metric tonnes of straw annually. Karnal produces 6 lakh metric tonnes of stubble, out of which one-third is managed through this plant, for which 13 clusters have been set up in the area around it for storage of stubble on panchayat land. The duty of the Custom Hiring Centre is to transport the stubble from the fields to these storage places. Further, the work of transporting the stubble from these places to the ethanol plant is done by IOCL.
Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Climate Change, Sh. Vineet Garg, Director General of Development and Panchayat department, Sh. Sanjay Joon, Director General of Agriculture department, Sh. Hardeep Singh, Director, Urban Local Bodies, Sh. DK Behera, Director General, New and Renewable Energy, Sh. S. Narayanan, among other officers, were present in the meeting.
