Sustainability Initiatives at Ahana Resort, Jim Corbett

Aahana Resort has been consistently featured in “Top 25 Luxury Resorts in India”. Indeed, you will be spoilt for luxury choices at Aahana. Apart from Luxurious Stay, Delightful Dining and Nature walks, there is more to Aahana Resort, something, which sets apart Aahana Resort from the pack – “Sustainability Initiatives”. Like:

1) What do you see in the below picture -  

Plants you see in the above picture is actually Eco-friendly Sewage Treatment Plant, operating at full load - 200,000 litres of wastewater is treated every week by Canna plant Root Zone Treatment. Process require ZERO Electricity and NO Chemicals, and the treated water is used for Gardening. Recycled water makes up for 45% of water requirement in the resort. 30,000 sq. ft. area has been dedicated for this eco-friendly STP. 

For statistics: PH level of this treated water is 7.09. See for yourself, the STP plant. 

 

2)     Plastic Waste – 

Only 6% plastic waste is generated as against an industry average of 35% - 40%. I went around the resort to find plastics, however other than water bottles and toiletries in the room, I was not able to locate plastics. Due to COVID, plastic water bottles have returned, earlier Ahana was providing glass bottles for drinking water in rooms. Tin waste collection bins are kept around the resort. Surprised to know that all the Aahana strictly procures items only in gunny bags, plastic packaging is avoided to the extent possible. That reminded me of first principle of avoiding waste - SENSIBLE BUYING. 

3)     Food Waste: 

Dedicated 20,000 sq. ft. for composting of leftover food waste. Around 2,000 kg of organic manure is generated every year.

4)     100% segregation of Non-Biodegradable Waste. Part of it is re-used, and rest is either recycled or sold. Funds generated from the proceeds are used for employee welfare.

5)     Bio-gas Plant to take care of gas consumption in the staff cafeteria. 

And Aahana is also taking care of local communities nearby to the resort, likewise:
1)     Financial support to two of the nearby village schools.
2)     Monthly Green Corbett exercise to clean the village with help of local village school children.
3)     98% of the staff requirement of the resort is met with local people so that fruits of development duly benefit the local community.

4)     Only local artisans/ craftsmen are hired for any woodwork within the premises.

When the planet earth is fighting with severe climate issues, just handing over the waste to the Municipal Corporations, will not relieve you from your responsibility towards the Environment and local communities. May not be the right approach as well. Full marks to Aahana for their Sustainability initiatives.

We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to make the change. Such small initiatives can do wonders in tackling the problem of Waste/ Water Pollution and can make our Earth a better place. You will be surprised to know:

1.   This lavish place which you know as Ahana Resort was a barren piece of land till 2006, which even the locales considered unfit for cultivation. With sustained and determined efforts Aahana not only has created this amazing spot, but also is paying back to the local communities and driving the holistic development of the nearby areas. 

2.    Citronella and Lemon grass plants have been planted to bring down use of insecticides and pesticides. We did not feel any time disturbed by Mosquitoes, even while walking around at night. Aahana was benevolent enough to provide me with a plant of each for planting at my home. 

To summarize - Learnings from Sustainability initiatives from the Trip added to the Joy.