Use of solar energy at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has helped it save around ₹23 crore in electricity bills in the last five years.
NMPT said this at a virtual meeting to review the progress on various green port initiatives being implemented under the ‘Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030’. The meeting was chaired by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
A presentation made by NMPT at the meeting said the port has installed a 5.2 MW solar plant in addition to rooftop solar panels on buildings and storage sheds, at a total expenditure of ₹33.75 crore. The port, which has generated total solar energy of 34.95 million KWH up to December, has met 100 per cent of its power requirement from the solar panels.
Due to this, nearly 29,709 tonnes of carbon footprint has been reduced up to December. This has helped in saving approximately ₹23 crore in electricity bills in the past five years, NMPT said in the presentation.
To meet its water requirement, NMPT has envisaged a comprehensive plan to harvest rainwater. It said three large water bodies, covering 64,217 sq metres with a capacity of 1,10,340 cubic metre, have been created inside the port area. Due to the creation of the water bodies, the water level inwells in nearby villages has also got recharged. The port is now self-sufficient in its water requirement, it said.
The port has developed a 1.20 MLD (million litres per day) sewage treatment plant (STP) This STP will ireceive domestic sewage from the port township and from inside the port as well. The treated water will be used for watering the green belt and also for water sprinkling in operational areas, it said.
NMPT, which has created a green belt around the port, has earmarked 33 per cent of its land area exclusively for greenery. It said that 1 lakh saplings were planted in the last five years, and the process of planting is still on.
The port has developed an oil spill response plan to monitor and control oil spills. Oil pollution drills are conducted regularly.
The port has mechanised almost 90 per cent of its operations over the years so as to mitigate dust pollution in the operational areas as per the green port initiatives under MIV 2030. Handling of coal, cement, etc are now fully mechanised.
The presentation said the port will be constructing an exclusive in-house facility to manage solid waste generated in the residential areas and in the port premises. The plastic waste generated in the port will be segregated and disposed through an authorized recycler in line with Central Pollution Control Board guidelines.