Blueprint released to make Delhi games greenest ever
18 Feb 2010
In an attempt to make the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi this year the greenest ever, the Delhi government and the games organising committee released an ecological code on Wednesday, which includes measures from boosting energy efficiency and air quality to expanding the city's tree cover.
The Delhi 2010 Ecological Code was jointly released by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and union minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor. The new measures are to be promoted jointly with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) over the next eight months in the run-up to the opening ceremony.
The code involves various environment-friendly measures like waste management, increasing energy efficiency and planting of saplings. Delhi is expected to produce 1,50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases during the sports event to be held from 3-14 October. The document provides tangible targets to ensure the event is carbon neutral.
Organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said the release of the ecological code is part of the commitment to create a benchmark for other multi-disciplinary sporting events. ''The organising committee is passionately committed to make the event the first ever green games in the history of sporting events,'' Kalmadi said. Plans are being finalised to plant saplings across the country as part of the initiative, he added.
Dikshit said that all stadia are being constructed to ensure reasonable consumption of electricity and water during the games. "The Thyagaraj Stadium is a model green stadium and will have its own gas-based power generation. Apart from this, the city government has been developing green areas around various venues and roads leading to the Games Village and Nehru Stadium, which would have maximum number of footfall during the Games," said the chief minister.
Tharoor later told reporters that the document would go a long way in enriching the 'green games' concept.
At the same time Achim Steiner, UN undersecretary general and UNEP executive director, told newspersons in Nairobi, "The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, represent an inordinate opportunity to pilot innovative ideas and transformational policies able to deliver a low carbon, resource efficient green economy.''
He added, "The potential positive impact for Delhi's 14 million inhabitants is matched by the environmental awareness generated across the world. UNEP is delighted to be working with the Commonwealth Games for the first time ever and we look forward to a positive environmental legacy for the residents of this historic, capital city."
