Turning Waste into National Asset
I was truly encouraged to see the recent announcement from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding the plan to utilize municipal waste for the construction of roads across India by 2027. It is a powerful and pragmatic vision that addresses two of our most pressing urban challenges: waste management and infrastructure development. Mr. Gadkari’s commitment to turning our cities' mounting garbage into a valuable resource for building our nation's arteries is a testament to the kind of innovative thinking we desperately need.
This approach isn't merely about recycling; it's a fundamental shift in perspective. It forces us to see what we discard not as a liability to be buried or burned, but as a raw material full of potential. It’s an act of national-scale alchemy, transforming the problematic into the productive.
A Resurrection of an Old Idea
This news took me back several decades to 1985, when I was deeply involved in a similar exercise, though on a much different scale. At Larsen & Toubro, I initiated a program called 'Project - Resurrection'. The goal was to systematically identify and eliminate unproductive practices on the factory floor—essentially, to root out 'process waste' that hindered efficiency and morale.
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought on the topic years ago. My focus then was on human and procedural waste within the confines of a factory. I had already seen the challenge of waste and proposed a solution at the time. Now, seeing a leader like Nitin Gadkari apply this very same logic to physical, municipal waste on a national, infrastructural level feels like a profound validation.
Reflecting on it today, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is. The principle is identical: identify what is considered 'waste,' analyze why it 'hurts,' and transform it into something of value. Seeing how this concept has now unfolded on such a massive scale gives me a renewed urgency to revisit these foundational ideas, because they clearly hold the key to solving some of our biggest societal challenges.
Mr. Gadkari's initiative is a brilliant example of this mindset in action. It’s a solution that is not only sustainable but also economically sensible, creating a circular economy where there was once only a dead end. This is the kind of leadership that builds a resilient future, one kilometer at a time.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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