Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Pvt. Ltd. (MBRDI) on Friday said it cleared 46,000 kg of waste, collected 85 lakh litres of pooled water, and constructed 11 check dams at Nandi Hills in the last five years.
The company said all these restoration and clean-up efforts had resulted in a 3% reduction in plastic generation at Nandi Hills.
The MBRDI said it successfully completed ‘Clean Green Nandi’, a five-year project initiative aimed at restoring the natural splendour of Nandi Hills, on the outskirts of the city.
Initiated in 2018, the project was in response to the heightened tourist footfall at the hills, which led to pressing issues of pollution, soil erosion, and deforestation, resulting in the drying up of life-sustaining rivers and the accumulation of plastic waste in the area, said the company in a statement.
“We have scientifically approached the issue through a topological survey and a holistic study and subsequently the MBRDI undertook efforts to restore waterbodies, set up waste collection infrastructure, influence visitor behaviour, and protect the biodiversity of Nandi Hills,” said Shweta Pandey, vice-president and general counsel, MBRDI.
The company carried out a 45-day training programme for local women at the foothill to teach them innovative ways to transform uprooted lantana stems into eco-friendly household products. The project cleared 60 acres of lantana, an invasive weed that poses a critical threat to biodiversity, and empowered women to earn sustainable livelihoods through a self-help group.
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