Corporate breathing space

Most industrial establishments are essentially regarded as being environmentally insensitive. This may be a misnomer because a lot of indust...

Most industrial establishments are essentially regarded as being environmentally insensitive. This may be a misnomer because a lot of industries are actively involved in keep-my-environment-green projects.

They have taken up the onus of looking after public gardens, highways and road-dividers and the airport premises. Some industries are known to have created facilities to manage their own pollution, started afforestation programmes, raised gardens to improve their own surroundings and promoted public awareness and environment education programmes.

Many environment-friendly industries in the city have proved they are ecologically-sensitive. To name a few, Kirloskar Bros, Bajaj Tempo Ltd, Global Environment Engineering Ltd, Venkateshwara Hatcheries Ltd, Thermax and TELCO have chased projects beneficial to the society.

Some managing directors of established industries throw light on the subject. Chandan Gadgil, managing director, Global Environment, who takes a personal interest in such proposals, says, 8220;Rapid urbanisation and increasing population has posed a very serious threat to our environment in the form of solid waste or garbage. Land-filling, composting and incineration have their limitations and an appropriate technology needs to be identified. At present, we are working on a similar project in Pimpri-Chinchwad, with a company in the Netherlands. To put it short, the new biolayer technology8217; will generate 1.5 to 2 MW per day as well as organic manure.8221;

Other industrial heads like Anuradha Desai, chairperson, Venkateshwara Hatcheries Ltd, and Sanjay Kirloskar, managing director, Kirloskar Bros, share the same sentiments on the environment. Says Desai, 8220;We have planted trees at all our farms and manufacturing units. This keeps the surroundings cool and makes survival for birds easier. Previously all our lands were barren but our afforestation programme has changed all that.8221;

8220;The Kirloskar Group started environment conservation way back in 1905. Kirloskarwadi is a lush green township today courtesy tree plantation on a massive scale. We also have a waste treatment plant and clean water gets circulated for lawns and other plantations. We have also helped set up the the Sagareshwar Sanctuary and the Krantismrutivan at Balewadi,8221; says Kirloskar, whose company was the recepient of the Vanashree award for 1992 by the State government.

TELCO8217;s man-made lake at its MIDC plant was the brainchild of former managing director Sumant Moolgaonkar, and a beautiful example of how high-tech engineering can blend with the ecosystem. Thermax has a full-fledged Environment Research Centre. As the case stands today, an eco-friendly development plan cannot succeed without industrial co-operation.

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Erach Bharucha, director, Bhartiya Vidyapeeth8217;s Institute of Environment and Education, confirms that his efforts have been corroborated by industrial support. Their mass awareness education programmes for schoolchildren have found valuable allies in several environment-friendly industries in Pune and Lonavla.

8220;A major chunk of our funds comes through the Confederation of Indian Industries CII. The Tata Electric Company in Lonavla, which has created a wonderful natural forest reserve in its premises, allows us to hold workshops for the children there,8221; says Bharucha.

It certainly behoves other industries, who have not yet joined the environment bandwagon, to follow suit and add their might to the process of a green revolution!