Delhi Technological University

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Rohini  campus

Green initiatives

As in 2024

Shreya Ghosh, June 12, 2024: The Times of India

Delhi Technological University’s Green initiatives, As in 2024
From: Shreya Ghosh, June 12, 2024: The Times of India

New Delhi: The oppressive heat gave way to refreshing coolness when TOI entered the Delhi Technological University campus in Rohini on Tuesday. This was thanks to a lush canopy of over 5,000 trees. Back in 2019, when construction began on two new academic buildings, a dilemma had arisen. What was to be done with the 111 mature trees on the site? DTU opted to transplant them to other parts of the campus. The cooler environs of the campus today prove sustainability is not just a concept but a practised reality.


But DTU has set other benchmarks for campuses too. Its new buildings are eco-friendly marvels, providing cooler interiors, clean electricity and prudently used water. The solar panels on the terraces generate 954kW of energy, while the newly constructed hostels have solar hot water systems. “By reducing the demand for electricity and gas, the water heating system helps decrease carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels,” said Anil Haritash, professor of environmental engineering at DTU.


And the green initiatives don't stop there. The campus is a zero-liquid discharge zone, meaning every drop of wastewater is treated and reused, thereby reducing the strain on natural resources. The heart of this system is an advanced sewage treatment plant that employs vermifiltration — a process during which composting worms help purify water. Around 5 lakh litres of treated water are reused for flushing the toilets on the campus and another 50,000 litres for horticulture and construction projects.


There are five rainwater harvesting units and blue trunks filled with plants and encased in grills in the parks form DTU's constructed wetland system for greywater treatment. Professor Haritash explained, “We conduct experiments in these trunks in which plants process wastewater and remove most pollutants. We've extended this concept to the pond.” This picturesque pond not only supports biodiversity, attracting birds and ducks, but also collects the runoff and recharges groundwater as a wetland does. The result is a self-sustaining water ecosystem that nourishes the campus’s greenery and conserves a precious resource.


Waste management also showcases DTU’s innovation. A 1TPD (tonne per day) waste-to-energy plant converts food waste from the hostel mess and canteens into biogas and electricity. “1TPD of waste can generate biogas of 100-120 Nm3/day and 50-100 kWH per day of net electricity and 150kg of compost. Our plant is currently functioning at 50% of its capacity and generates 1kW of energy per hour of operation,” revealed Haritash. The resulting slurry is used by the horticulture department as biofertiliser.
To reduce pollution, DTU does not allow commercial transport into the campus. There are electric golf carts for movement of students on the campus. A 35-seater CNG bus brings students and staff from Badli and Rithala metro stations to the campus for free. The environment audit report claims that the air quality on the campus is monitored regularly by the environmental engineering department. The report says a monitoring station on the campus gives real-time data every 15 minutes. Apart from that, external monitoring is also conducted once every six months.


The campus has a designated junkyard where all types of scrap are managed and disposed of through an e-auction process. It has diesel generator sets of 320KVA and 500KVA capacities installed in five substations for power backup. “Waste from these DG sets is temporarily stored in drums onsite and collected by vendors selected through the university's online tender process. The electronic waste generated by various departments and administrative buildings is stored in the scrap yards. Disposal of both e-waste and other wastes is conducted through the GEMPORTAL e-auction process,” said Haritash.


Prateek Sharma, vice-chancellor, an environmentalist himself, plans to expand its environmental engineering department and offer BSc and MSc degrees in environmental science. He also wants to set up a centre of excellence in climate science and sustainability. “DTU is an environmentally conscious institute with its roots instilled deep in a glorious past of 83 years of society-centric academics and research,” said Sharma. “We strongly believe in creating an atmosphere for catalysing new ideas for designing solutions and putting the knowledge into action for better environmental quality and sustainability.”