‘India needs to mainstream environmental issues in projects’

The other issues that were taken up in the meeting included better managed borrow areas,reuse of construction waste in road work itself,installation of HMPs at designated sites away from habitation,taking into consideration the wind direction and provision of wind barriers and trees along the HMP site.

It was stated that with the world’s second largest road network of 33 lakh kilometer,there was a dire need to mainstream environmental issues in road projects in the country.

A presentation on Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) was made by H K Sehgal,COO,Telcon Ecoroad Resurfaces Private Limited,Bangalore. He said RAP ensures that road levels do not increase every year.

This is relevant for cities where problems such as the need to raise footpaths,storm water gullies as well as downing of levels of residential and commercial areas along the roads come up. The system has already been introduced in Chandigarh.

Senior Horticulturist,Punjab Agricultural University,Dr Satish Narula highlighted the need for highway plantation. He said introduction of a three-tier system i.e.,small,medium and tall trees planted in succession from the edge of the road towards the outer periphery gives a eco-friendly co-existence,an aesthetic skyline as well as protection against dust and noise. “The present trend of planting single species like eucalyptus must be stopped,” he said.

CRRI scientist Nasim Akhtar put forth the idea of introducing noise barriers. He briefed the audience on how noise barriers have been installed on the Metro rail in Delhi.