ENVIRONMENT: Hotels are taking to ecological friendliness as they see high returns on being green.

It is not often that businesses in this part of the world go “beyond compliance” in any sphere. Yet, that is what hotel chains like ITC Welcomgroup are doing — going beyond government-laid guidelines on environmental friendliness.

“Going green works,” says Niranjan Khatri, GM, WelcomEnviron Initiatives. He has reasons to be sold on the idea. The Rs 2.35 crore water sewerage plant installed at Delhi’s ITC was recovered in a short 18-month period.

Besides that, the water usage has been reduced by 30 per cent over the last 4-5 years. This treated water is being used by the hotel for the air-conditioning plant, in the washrooms (for flushing) and for its gardens.

Water frugal devices have been installed in the rooms like low flow showers as well as aerated taps which reduce the quantum of water flowing. Even on their toilet seats, they have two different buttons, which pump different amounts of water, depending on the reason for flushing.

Rainwater harvesting has been in place in all ITC hotels since 1990.

In Hyderabad, the surplus recycled water from an ITC hotel is being offered to the local municipality while such a surplus from the ITC hotel in Bangalore is being used for the construction activity of another ITC hotel in the city.

To promote and share best green practices, ITC has an eco-education tool kit and green-information on its website www.itcwelcomgroup.in.