MP Santosh Kumar participates in Plantation Drive in Airport

• GMR Hyderabad International Airport and Airport Security Group CISF Organize Telangana ku Haritha Haaram
• Joginapally Santosh Kumar, the MP (RS) plants sapling
• Close to 600 native species of saplings were planted

Hyderabad, 8th September, 2020: GMR Hyderabad International Airport in collaboration with the Airport Security Group of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) organized Telanganaku Haritha Haaram, #GreenIndiaChallenge function at Hyderabad Airport City near GMR Arena. Joginapally Santosh Kumar, the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha was the Chief Guest of the event. In participation were Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GHIAL, MK Singh, DIG/Chief Airport Security Officer, CISF, Bharat Kamdar, Head – Security, GHIAL amidst the presence of CISF personnel and airport officials.

Joginapally Santosh Kumar planted a sapling of neem followed by Pradeep Panicker, MK Singh and other key airport officials. Approximately 600 saplings were planted by the airport CISF personnel during the event. These saplings which were planted were of native species and well-developed hardy plants, easy for them to sustain and grow. Some of the key saplings planted included – Neem/ Azadirachta indica; Pongamia/ Pongamia glabra; Bauhinia/ Bauhinia accuminata; Acacia/ Acacia auriculiformis; Pink Tabebuea/ Tabebuia rosea; Gulmohar/ Dalonix regia; Jacaranda/ Jacaranda mimosifolia among others. These plants will be maintained by the airport under its green initiative.

The Hyderabad International Airport has a natural ecosystem that supports the life of various flora and fauna. The management of GHIAL is taking several efforts by maintaining plant nursery, huge landscape, and rainwater harvesting across the airport. The main access road of the airport offers 12 km long four-tiered landscape at its both sides. This comprises lawn, ground cover, shrubs and trees. 3 mt median running through this 12km stretch of the road is dotted with shrubs, plam trees equipped with cloud-based fully automated irrigation system.

As a Level 3+/Carbon-neutral’ airport, Environmental Sustainability has been one of the driving themes in the development of the Hyderabad Airport, and it permeates every aspect of the airport’s infrastructure and operations to this day. The airport has a ‘green’ passenger terminal building, which has won the ‘Silver’ rating in ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ (LEED) certification in the year 2008 by the US Green Building Council. Apart from the green terminal building. The airport also has a 10 MW capacity captive solar power plant, for its energy needs. The airport is also on its way to becoming a 100% LED airport and has the laurel of being the first in South India and only the 2nd in India to have the entire taxiway edge lights replaced from halogen lamps to energy efficient LED lamps.

RGIA proactively engages with the employees, airlines, ground handlers, concessionaires, flight kitchens, cab operators and influences them to adopt water efficient practices. The airport also actively promotes environmental awareness to sensitize the airport community and the passengers by observing various days like World Environment Day, World Forestry Day, Earth Day, etc.