A lot has gone into the success story of Technopark. Being a green lung is right up there. With another World Environment Day (June 5) round the corner, the IT park, hailed one of the greenest in the world, has planned many activities, both by the management and individual companies.
“We've maintained the status of being the greenest Technopolis. Fifteen per cent of the total area has been set aside for greenery, even while carrying out expansion activities,” says K.C. Chandrasekharan Nair, treasurer, Technopark Club. He is also the management representative who has been assigned to implement the standards prescribed under the OHSAS 18001:2007 certification (OHSAS is an assessment specification for Occupational Health and Safety Management System).
This year it has been decided to plant nearly 10,000 saplings. To start with, 500 plus saplings would be planted on June 5 on the campus. “The planting would be in different stages. There will be fruit-bearing trees, flowering plants, banyan and bamboo, among others. We are taking the saplings from the Forest and Agriculture Departments,” says Chandrasekharan. The IT hub also has a host of agrarian activities, with nearly an acre of land behind the Technopark Club devoted to growing plantain.
Chipping in
Many companies are also into different green initiatives. Allianz Cornhill plans to launch a car sharing initiative on June 5. More than 50 percent of Allianz employees come to office in cabs. The new venture saves on the usage of personal vehicles. This application is developed internally by the employees. The intranet tool allows staff to identify co-passengers for commuting to office, says a release from the company.
Allianz had initiated the Technopark Cycle Club a year ago and is, in association with Trivandrum Global city of Innovation, creating an art installation near Bhavani building which will embody the message of energy conservation.
UST Global is distributing saplings to six government schools in and around Technopark. This is being done in association with the Forest Department. The company is also distributing free saplings to its 3,500 associates. The company would also be carrying out cleaning activities (mainly on the beach) and digging pits for rain water harvesting and maintaining ground water table. There will also be routine activities with Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA). Earlier, it had conducted an exhibition on bio-diversity, food and health to create awareness about hazards of pesticide usage and organic way of living.
Infosys has set goals for energy efficiency, renewable energy and become carbon neutral. The Thiruvananthapuram campus of the company has an eco-club which undertakes a number of activities such as bus days, tree planting drives and e-waste collection drives which are in line with the company's theme of ‘Sustainable tomorrow'. All new buildings at Infosys constructed post 2008 are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, says a statement issued by the company. Also the Thiruvananthapuram campus has the LEED Platinum rating, the highest standard for green buildings given by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
