Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jul 17 (PTI) The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has reduced carbon emissions at its resort in Ganpatipule with steps like use of natural products, waste management and ban on plastic bottles, officials said on Wednesday.
A pilot project was taken up at the Ganpatipule resort, located in Ratnagiri district of Konkan region, as part of the MTDC’s ‘responsible tourism’ programme, they said.
Taste enhancers, preservatives and artificial flavouring have been prohibited and they have been replaced with natural products in the resorts. The policy of no flex use and banning plastic bottles have also been implemented in the resorts, MTDC General Manager Chandrashekhar Jaiswal told PTI.
“We now don’t change bedsheets until a tourist asks for it, there is cent per cent waste management, food quantity management, water usage reduction and maintenance of air conditioners temperature at 24 degrees Celsius in our resorts,” he said.
“The carbon footprint in the Ganpatipule resort has come down to 0.858 kg CO2 per traveller per day now from 2.057 two years back. We have made an online form and collected data (of activities at the resort) from nearly 450 guests till date,” Jaiswal said.
The carbon footprint calculation system has been installed at the MTDC resorts in Ganpatipule and Tarkarli.
“‘Responsible tourism’ is an endeavour to create awareness among guests for environment conservation and an effort to use local produce. We are making our visitors understand carbon literacy. Initiatives like no use of artificial colours and community-based tourism are making a positive impact, state tourism secretary Jayashree Bhoj said.
MTDC Managing Director B N Patil said their carbon calculator programme through responsible tourism practices has been implemented in Ganpatipule and Tarkarli as a pilot project.
“We will implement it in our resorts across the state in the next six months,” he added. PTI AW GK
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