The Telangana state government plans to promote net water neutrality in high-rise buildings by introducing new regulations. These regulations will make it mandatory for buildings to recycle wastewater and reuse it. Dual piping systems will also be installed in buildings. During the World Environment Day celebrations, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, KT Rama Rao, announced these new regulations and invited cooperation from the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).
To support these initiatives, the government has invited tenders for the establishment of Scientific Processing Units in 130 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). These units will produce compost and bailed dry Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), which will be sold to industries tied up with the agencies responsible for the processing. The government hopes this will reduce the financial burden on the ULBs. The government plans to establish a circular economy hub at the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) office with the help of ASCI.
The government has also established 1,962 Reduces Reuse Recycle (RRR) centers in 142 ULBs to collect used products such as plastic items, old books, clothes, and footwear. Over 200 metric tons of used items have already been collected since May 20. These products will be refurbished, reused, or transformed into new items. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has deployed 4,500 Swachh Auto Tippers (SAT) to segregate high-value dry recyclables such as HDPE, cardboard, old newspapers, and PET. These recyclables are then sold to Dry Resource Collection Centers (DRCCs) or scrap dealers.
A Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant with a capacity of 24 MW is fully operational in Jawaharnagar, Hyderabad. It processes around 1,500 metric tons of RDF daily. Minister Rama Rao also acknowledged the various awards received by the government for its efforts in environmental conservation and sustainable practices.
