So what is a zero waste building? “0 waste doesn’t mean that we do not create any waste. It means that we strive to reduce waste and ensure that whatever waste is created is segregated and recycled,” explained Amita Desai, director, Goethe Zentrum, in an event inaugurating the building’s zero waste status on April 21.

The building hasn’t received the ‘zero waste’ status overnight. According to Desai, “In the past five weeks we have held 15 sessions and reached out to 500 people and explained to them the need for using the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) strategy with garbage. And the response has been very good. Many people have gotten back to us with practical queries about executing the strategies discussed.” said The HMDA has been instrumental in making the zero waste concept at the Hermitage Office complex viable.

But B P Acharya, IAS, Metropolitan commissioner, HMDA, who was the chief guest at the event, was modest about the HMDAs contributions. “The 0 waste initiative started off as a casual discussion, and now it has become so big. And it couldn’t have happened without Amita Desai. She not only conceptualized the idea for making the Hermitage Office complex a 0 waste building, but she has also seen it through its execution. We hope this will start a trend in Hyderabad and inspire other people, both in the professional and personal spheres, to reduce, reuse, segregate and recycle garbage.” According to Acharya, this is but a small step in the marathon like distance Hyderabad has yet to go in terms of environmental reform. “We cannot ignore the environment. Whatever happens, near or far, will eventually affect all of us. The volcanic activity at Iceland, despite the fact that it is geographically so far away, has affected so many of us here in India. We need to act immediately.” The HMDA is definitely is gearing up for the challenge. “We are declaring the area near Sanjeevia Park a no plastic zone. The Hussain Sagar Lake, which provided drinking water for Hyderabadis for 400 years is now in a state of complete disrepair. We are planning on cleaning up the lake by this July. We will be arresting the pollution coming into the Hussain Sagar via the four nals that supply water to it. And of the 501 lakes that are in the area under HMDA’s jurisdiction, we will be tacking the problems faced by the 22 most vulnerable lakes. We are also planning on replacing the lighting systems of hoarding around the city with solar powered lights,” said Acharya.