Kashi airport to be first eco-friendly airport in UP

VARANASI: : Come January 2019 and the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi will be fully solar powered — the first such airport in Uttar Pradesh. To meet its electricity requirement, the airport is setting up a 2 megawatt solar power plant on its premises.

Airport director Anil Rai said, “We are setting up a 2 megawatt solar power plant to meet the electricity requirement of the airport from clean energy. It will be the first fully solar powered airport of Uttar Pradesh by January 2019.”

The work to develop the solar power plant is in full swing on the airport premises. Solar panels are being installed to develop it.

The power plant will be ready by the end of December and will start generating power from first week of January, Rai said.

Solar power will illuminate LEDs and indicators and will operate other equipment at the airport.

Plantation has also been carried out. With these efforts, he said, the old airport is on way to earning the tag of an ecofriendly airport.

On Environment Day, the airport became completely plastic free.

Rai said that effective solid waste management system is being implemented at the airport. Within three months, there will be effective solid waste management.

Steps have also been taken to check air pollution by reducing carbon emission, Rai said, adding that he requested the UP government to introduce AC electric buses between airport and city.