Eliminating carbon footprints

TNN Bureau. Updated: 10/3/2022 12:00:01 PM Edit and Opinion

With an objective to realise dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for eliminating carbon footprints, the newly created Union Territories is taking several decisions. Most important decision was taken both UTs to use plastic in road constructions. The J&K administration constituted an Inter-Departmental Committee to explore possibilities in the direction and recommend the road map for use of waste plastic in macadamization works of the Public Works (Roads & Building) Department.
The committee tasked to recommend the road map for use of waste plastic in macadamization works of PW (R&B) Department from next financial year. It will also analyze the economic considerations for use of waste plastic in macadamization works, with comparative costs of conventional macadamization process and that of using waste plastic besides earmarking the mode of acquiring suitable plastic for use as construction material by the Hot Mix Plants including means and source.Thecommitte will also have to examine changes in plant or additional machinery required for use of waste plastic in macadamization works and willsuggest incentive structure or facilitation of plant owners for developing suitable infrastructure to use waste plastic in macadamization works.
Similarly, the Ladakh administration has made mandatory use of at least 10% of plastic waste for road construction in Ladakh. The UT administration of Ladakh has come out with a noble idea of imparting advanced training to its engineers involved in construction of roads in extreme cold conditions with a focus on the usage of plastic waste and locally available material to be used for road constructions.
It has been envisaged that engineers would learn advanced techniques to reuse plastic waste in road construction which would in turn also help protect the fragile environment of Ladakh in accordance with the vision of making a carbon-neutral Ladakh.
The training programme is also aimed at helping the engineers in bringing about improvements in the road construction activities in the cold climatic conditions. It will also help the engineers in better utilization of plastic waste in road construction technologies.Under this exercise, a training programme for around 70 road construction engineers of Ladakh was commenced today. The programme has been organised by the Rural Development Department of Ladakh in collaboration with the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi.The training covered subjects like usage of plastic waste, usage of locally available material, cold mix technology for faster road construction, testing technologies, design and construction of flexible pavements, road safety, recycling of bituminous pavements, and maintenance rehabilitation technologies, etc. during the course of the training. These steps will play vital role in elimination of carbon footprints.


Comment on this Story