ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/18/2002 23 September 2002
Australian High Commissioner inaugurates waste management laboratory
The Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms Penny Wensley AO, today inaugurated an industrial waste management laboratory at the Treatment Storage Disposal Facility near the Khazipally Industrial Development Area in Hyderabad.
Australia provided technical assistance and laboratory equipment to the Facility as part of a Rs 17-crore project to enable industry to operate and expand in the Hyderabad region in an environmentally acceptable manner under the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board regulatory framework.
"The state-of-the-art facility, the first in India, is an excellent example of how government, the private sector and communities can work together on projects for the benefit of all," said Ms Wensley.
The waste management facility has been funded by Ramky Enviro Engineers (Pvt) Ltd. An Australian contractor, Kinhill OPCV, provided the technical advice and training to the Pollution Control Board on regulatory and monitoring protocols and to staff at Ramky on design, construction and management of the facility.
The High Commissioner also visited the Vasant Chemicals plant at Jeedimetla and saw how cleaner production equipment and processes have helped the company significantly reduce its output of solid waste and consumption of water and chemicals.
Australia had provided a Rs 17-lakh grant to the company for the project.
The High Commissioner later called on the Chief Minister, Mr N Chandrababu Naidu, and discussed opportunities for expanding Australia's business and investment presence in Andhra Pradesh.
She conveyed to him that the Australian business community was keen on contributing to the State's advancement in areas such as information technology, biotechnology and the services sector, particularly infrastructure, tourism, financial services and health-care, and also environment services.
For further information, please contact Mr Kerry Groves, First Secretary, Development Cooperation, on telephone 6888223, ext. 561.