The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has partnered with the Military Engineer Services (MES) Jhansi to convert five Army stations into carbon-neutral campuses. In a phased approach, the goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, energy, water and waste at the MES Jhansi cantonment campuses. The first step is to develop a proof-of-concept plan for the selected Army campuses to adopt sustainable resource utilisation.
The campuses will be assessed on various criteria, such as energy sources, consumption, carbon footprint, sustainable alternatives adoption, on-site tree planting and habit-related factors. Additionally, the agreement includes training Army personnel in sustainable practices and creating a resource pool through on-job training. This collaboration aims to showcase a proof-of-concept model through coordinated initiatives and the training of Army personnel in sustainable practices, emphasising the synergistic efforts between the two institutions in contributing to India’s net zero projections.
Abhay Karandikar, Director of IIT Kanpur, highlighted the significance of transforming Army cantonments based on net zero parameters to achieve India’s carbon neutrality goal by leveraging the vast land area covered by Army cantonments. IIT Kanpur and the Indian Army plan to create a carbon-neutral roadmap for the country to achieve sustainability. This partnership seeks to contribute significantly to India’s carbon neutrality goal and inspire other institutions to follow the same path.
