Circularity is a way to manage garbage impact: Experts

Visakhapatnam: Circularity is a way to maintain and manage the impact of garbage, optimise resource use and minimise waste which if neglected will leave a huge negative impact on the environment, said secretary, ministry of environment forest and climate change Leena Nandan.

Addressing the gathering at a national workshop on ‘circular economy-policy to implementation’ held here on Thursday, she emphasised on minimising further extraction of material through recycling and reusing in the production value chain. As far as the economic dimension is concerned, there is a huge untapped potential for skill development, employment entrepreneurship.

Calling for coordinated efforts to align multiple dimensions in a planned and systematic course of action, Leena Nandan underlined the need for the state and central government to work in tandem to recognise the potential of circularity, the harm it would leave on ecosystem if left unaddressed with the involvement of society and achieve circularity at the ground level.

Addressing the gathering, additional secretary of ministry of environment Naresh Pal Gangwar said through virtual workshops and engaging discussions, a set of recommendations will be made in the national conference scheduled in the month of November or December.

“As part of the exercise of developing those recommendations, we will be assessing the existing ecosystem related to the circular economy in respect of infrastructure, financial ecosystem and policy and regulatory landscapes, identify critical gaps and work towards devising solutions to promote entrepreneurship, employment and skills in the circular economy sector,” he said.

Special chief secretary of environment, forests, science and technology of Government of AP Anantha Ramu said in states like Andhra Pradesh more importance should be given to sunrise sectors.

District collector MN Harendhira Prasad, GVMC commissioner

P Sampath Kumar among others spoke at the workshop held as part of the fourth national conference of chief secretaries promoting entrepreneurship, employment and skilling, leveraging the demographic dividend.