KTR launches ‘Rethink RRR’ in Hyderabad with aim of a greener city
HYDERABAD: Commemorating World Environment Day, IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao inaugurated the Rethink RRR Centre (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Knowledge Hub) and Environmental Surveillance Lab at the ASCI campus in Hyderabad on Monday.
During his address, he stressed the importance of individual social responsibility towards the environment in addition to corporate social responsibility initiatives. He highlighted that true change begins when citizens take ownership of their actions.
“Though Hyderabad is securing top positions among the Indian States in several surveys and reports related to different departments, the city still has a long way to go to make its mark as a global city. For that, there is a need for planning, agenda, collaborative effort and responsible leadership,” he commented.
Govt to implement policy on wastewater recycling
Focused on this year’s theme, ‘Beat the Plastic’, the minister encouraged startups and innovators to develop accessible and affordable alternatives to plastic, which would aid in effectively banning its use.
He also announced that the government will promote wastewater recycling in Hyderabad through the introduction of a policy. Furthermore, a circular economy hub will be established at the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department in partnership with ASCI to promote resource efficiency, decarbonisation and climate change mitigation.
Rama Rao further outlined various initiatives undertaken, including construction and demolition (C&D) waste management, dry resource collection centres, bio methanation plants, plastic waste management, bio-mining of legacy waste in 128 Urban Local Bodies, faecal sludge treatment plants and rooftop solar power plants.
Centre aims to prevent plastic in landfills
Rethink, an initiative by ASCI and the MAUD Department, serves as a platform connecting RRR centres across towns in Telangana with recyclers, MSMEs and startups. Its primary goal is to accelerate circularity in waste management and prevent plastics and waste from ending up in landfills and water bodies. Currently, there are 1,962 RRR centres in 142 ULBs to collect used products such as plastic items, old books, clothes and footwear. Since May 20, over 200 metric tonnes of used items have been collected in these centres. These products will be refurbished, reused or transformed into new items.
MoU on carbon footprint
In addition, an MoU will be signed between HMWS&SB (Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board), Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Indian Institute of Rice Research, Sustainable India Trust and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. The collaboration aims to study nutrient extraction from byproducts of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and implement measures to reduce the carbon footprint in STP operations.