“If we want things to stay as they are, then things will have to change”
Giuseppe Tumasi diLampedusa.
The chapter on fundamental duties of the Indian Constitution clearly imposes a duty on every citizen to protect the environment. Article 51-A (g), says that “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”
The multiple challenges that the world faces, like climate emergency, severe drought and flooding and wildfires decimating huge tracts of ancient forests, year after year, is nature’s wake up call. Nobody is immune from the effect of these natural disasters which are increasing in frequency and intensity.
I was posted to the then Welcomgroup Bay Island in the remote islands of the Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands from 1988 to 1992. I was initially bewildered with the shortages of basic items like onions, potatoes, lime and chilli which was a challenge to operate the hotel as everything came from the mainland on a ship which came once a month, or by the two flights per week.
I gradually learnt to live and operate the hotel with the islands limited resources and by optimising the use of water and energy. We repurposed the entire waste stream, becoming zero waste, which today, is the need of the country. We need to work with all stakeholders to acquire the status of Viksit Bharat.
Business was poor due to the limited flights where the priority for 80 % of the seats was given to government officials. Tourists were given last priority. Adopting a resource optimising approach led to a 10 % reduction in our small turnover.
The A&N administration was very clear to promote business with low emission, like the hotel industry as well as fisheries and to guard the 87% green cover of the pristine islands by shutting down the lumber industry in Port Blair.
Proactively and unknowingly, we raised the bench mark of how a hotel should operate in the future:
Since business was poor for all hotels, boat and taxi operators, we formed a small association called the Andaman & Nicobar Tourism Guild to address the policies which were affecting our business – for example, foreigners were not allowed to stay for more than 7 days and liquor could not be served in the bar. Cooking gas was not available.
We took a differentiated approach in operating the Guild. Instead of lobbying for change in policies, I made a detailed SWOT analysis of the islands highlighting the danger of oil spill in the Strait of Malacca, abutting the shores of Great Nicobar islands.
The Guild suggested to the local administration to place oil spill combat equipment in Port Blair to mitigate the impact if there was an oil spill. The idea was well received by the administration but not implemented.
I left Port Blair in 1992 and in 1993 there was a big oil spill of 20,000 tons in the Strait of Malacca. The oil combat equipment was flown in from Mumbai.
We suggested to the administration to implement rain water harvesting in 1990, knowing that good practices will be implemented through the regulatory route.
RWH information was dovetailed with a slew of other initiatives, which are today still struggling to be implemented. Albeit reluctantly.
“People should realise we are in a new era. The idea of your nice little green lawn getting watered every day; those days are past.”
– California Governor, Jerry brown
Similarly there were no road signages to empower tourists with the knowledge of the distance of places of tourist interest. We therefore made signages and put them up in Port Blair. These strategies were beyond compliance.
We trained all our staff members on how to maintain the pristine beauty of the islands by respectfully engaging with the tourists residing in different hotels.
In order to enhance the availability of skilled manpower, we trained orphaned boys for 2 hours each day for a period of time in the department of their choice. The key intent was to enhance pool of skilled man power so that they get jobs.
Unknowingly, we veered into the greening of the supply chain, responsible advocacy and skilling, terminology which have germinated from 2008 like the National Voluntary Guidelines, incorporating these national concerns.
In 1993, similarly, an association of companies was formed in New Delhi, to clean up the office complex of Basant Community Centre. We provided dust bins and activated the defunct lamp posts with solar lights. So when power failed in the complex at night, the complex still remained lit and safe for the ladies working in the different offices in the complex.
We put up a variety of messages on solar and bio gas with our skimpy financial resources to build awareness.
Today, renewable energy has become a reality with India having installed 200 GW of RE power, and with an ambition of 500 GW by 2030 as part of the Nation’s climate action plan.
In order to pre-empt any water crisis to the extent possible in Delhi, I was involved in a housing project in 2002. We installed the dual flushing system in the toilet, drip irrigation in the garden of each balcony. The effluent treatment plant (ETP) was also installed though not mandated.
We roughly calculated the savings of water and corelated it to the embodied water used in the construction phase. What we discovered was that the return on water used in construction would be recovered in a period of approximately 7 to 8 years. Again, an example of employing strategies beyond compliance.
People possess advanced academic credentials in hotel associations and Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs). Such key people may like to enhance the skill set of their own staff and residents to help them understand the eco challenges that we have to face and mitigate its severe impact on the climate, water and waste front. Strengthen the people at the bottom of the pyramid in our quest for Viksit Bharat.
The urban population alone generates a significant quantity of waste on a daily basis and it spikes during wedding seasons and festivals. A simple engagement with caterers will lead to the elimination of food waste, throwaway plates, cups and cutlery, and tissue paper if they use reusable items. We need to abandon the take, make, and discard irresponsible attitude in a world of finite resources for our children and future generations.
RWAs could impart inputs to the operating staff on domestic help training, soft skills, fire training, judicious use of water, and financial literacy so that they can take advantage of various government schemes. Make them multi-skilled so that the plumber can learn carpentry and the domestic help could become a cook, or specialise in elder care.
Hotel Federations could develop a simple digital video with specific focus on good practices for staff and tourists – The Do’s and Don’ts while travelling, the menu can have a polite line on mindful ordering, in order to avoid waste. https://earth.org/quotes-about-food-waste/
“A sustainable world begins with reducing food waste.” – anonymous
Ideas are innumerable, the need is to focus on such issues which benefit the industry and citizens at large. Needless to mention, waste is wealth, examples of this are hotels with bio gas and the installation of the concentrator technology have reduced their energy cost and are on the path of achieving net zero carbon status.
Embracing water modest practices has a payback opportunity within 3 to 12 months, and reduces energy consumption in pumping treated water to overhead tanks and operating the STP.
I will like to end this article with a very pertinent quote of our difficult time that we are in now:
“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ‘crackpot’ than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.” – Thomas Watsan
Niranjan Khatri is a veteran hotelier with a long-established credential of crusading for the environment and sustainable development. He is presently, the Founder, iSambhav. Views expressed are those of the author
