Delhi 'Metro model' inspired new solid waste mgmt rules: Javadekar

NEW DELHI, June 12: Aiming to reduce pollution at construction sites, the government has adopted the "Metro model" in drafting its new solid waste management rules, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said today. The minister was speaking at a national-level conference on Green Metro Systems here organised jointly by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). "We have adopted the DMRC or the 'Metro model' on solid- waste management. E-waste, hazardous, plastic waste rules have been put on the Environment Ministry's website for public consultation. All suggestions are welcome till July 21," the minister said. He was also effusive in his praise of Delhi Metro's "work culture" and hailed the rapidly expanding network's careful consideration of environmental issues during construction work. DMRC MD Mangu Singh was also present on the occasion. "Felling of trees is an imperative for construction activities. Music is born out of force. This is the rule of nature. But that doesn't mean trees can't be translocated. Metro has shown the way here also by successfully translocating trees," he said. Singh pointed at Delhi Metro's success in popularising 'fly ash' as a popular construction material whose disposal was a big issue at one point of time. "DMRC has made it (fly ash) acceptable and now it has become a popular commodity. That could not be thought of a few years ago," he said. Elaborating on the other measures taken by Delhi Metro to mitigate pollution, he claimed that they had gone beyond the required stipulation for planting saplings for every tree felled. He also spoke about getting two Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects cleared in record time. Delhi Environment Minister Aseem Ahmed Khan, who was also present on the occasion, acknowledged Javadekar's help in getting NCR states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on board in tackling air pollution. Javadekar said the government was looking at producing at around 1,75,000 - megawatts of power from renewable energy sources. On the occasion, Mandi House and Janpath Stations were awarded the platinum rating for adhering to "green building" norms by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). IGBC has devised a rating mechanism for Metro stations and buildings on a scale of platinum, gold, silver for following green building norms. Javadekar handed over the awards to the DMRC MD. The Union Minister hailed Delhi metro as the world's "fastest growing" and the cleanest among all the networks in the world. He said the cleanliness was an outcome of CCTV monitoring and provisions of penalties on littering. Metro's 'Receiving Power Sub Station' at Faridabad also received an award for incorporating eco-friendly technologies. Delhi Metro is developing all its stations of Phase-III as green buildings and the awarded stations are the first two stations in this phase to be opened by DMRC. Five new solar power facilities with power generation capacity of 575 KWp, installed at different stations, depots and residential enclaves were also formally inaugurated. The plants which were commissioned are located at Anand Vihar ISBT, Pragati Maidan stations. Two more were commissioned at the Yamuna Bank depot and at Metro Enclave Pushp Vihar