New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) A workshop on solid waste management techniques, held in Rashtrapati Bhawan Saturday, kick started a programme, Project Roshini, aimed at making the president’s estate more green, energy efficient and eco-friendly. “The solid waste management component of this initiative (Project Roshini) began at the president’s estate today (Saturday). President Pratibha Patil shall make the formal inauguration of the complete initiative in the first week of July,” a press statement from Rashtrapati Bhawan said.

A workshop and street play were organised in Rashtrapati Bhawan in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

Other than converting the president’s estate into a ‘model township’, the project aims at serving as a model for other townships to emulate.

The project components include solid waste management, liquid waste management including water re-cycling, rain water harvesting, banning use of plastic bags, increasing green cover, energy audit and conservation, promoting renewable sources of energy and replacing liquified petroleum gas (LPG) with compressed natural gas (CNG).

The programme, which will be institutionalised soon, also aims at making residents and staff of Rashtrapati Bhawan more responsive to environmental issues.