While taking remarkable initiatives in Waste Management especially at a time when it is much required and need of the hour, the ‘Excellence in Waste Management Award’ won by Aahana -The Corbett Wilderness Resort in the Hotels and Guest House category given by Uttrakhand Tourism Development Board comes like a big morale booster and appreciation to the team at Aahana.
The tourism board conducted Swacchata Pakhwada to promote better ways to dispose of waste and increase the awareness around waste management.
The awards were divided into three categories, where category one was for NGOs, Individuals, or Start-ups, category two was for hotels and guesthouses and the last category was for urban local bodies. Aahana The Corbett Wilderness was the only resort to be facilitated in category two.
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami made his presence felt as the Chief Guest, whereas Tourism Minister of Uttarakhand Satpal Maharaj was the Guest of Honour. A line of well renowned politicians, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, etc. were also present on the occasion.
While speaking on this achievement, Ayu Tripathi, Director, Aahana The Corbett Wilderness, said, “We are happy and proud to receive this award. Each one of us needs to mitigate the impact of our business towards the environment and as a resort, we have taken a pledge to reduce our carbon footprints and make sustainability the heart of all decision making.”
“But all this Eco-friendliness does not come in the way of a luxurious stay at the resort. I firmly believe what makes Aahana unique is the beautiful blend of luxury and sustainability,” added
Ayu Tripathi.
As per the report of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 55% of the waste generated in the Himalayan region is biodegradable and mainly comes from homes, restaurants, staycations, hotels, resorts, etc. 21% is inert such as construction material and rest comes from various other sources.
Tourism and Hotels are responsible for 30% of waste from an estimated 62 million tonnes generated by the country annually. In light of the above numbers, awards like these play an important role in creating awareness around the handling of waste management.
The resort has Asia’s biggest and unique organic Sewage Treatment Plant, a brainchild of the founder Kamal Tripathi. They recycle 100% of their water through an Eco- STP which requires no energy or chemicals. This water which is extremely rich in minerals and nutrients is then used for gardening.
The resort also has a no-waste policy and manages 100% of its waste in-house. The bio-degradable waste goes for composting and the rest is reused or recycled. The resort also makes uses of solar energy for heating and lighting thereby saving our precious resources.
I’m so glad I decided to visit Uttarakhand. It was the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. I spent my days hiking, camping, and exploring the mountains. I even went white water rafting down the Ganges River. It was an unforgettable experience.