IEMSD HUGHES RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

During the past few years efforts have been made at different places in the country to create environment friendly conditions in different towns and villages. Various official agencies and NGO's have introduced systems and technologies to achieve this objective. It has been done both on an experimental basis and for wider application. However, the effort continues to be in an embroynic stage.Very often different aspects of the environment have been tackled by these organizations at different places. These efforts have failed to create a big impact and start a countrywide movement in this respect. Apparently these are constraints and inadequacies in this initiatives.
Institute of Environment Management and Social Development has decided to set up an eco-friendly village combining all the technologies and initiatiatives to produce a demonstrative effect of the work done in this field.Institute of Environment Management and Social Development in collaboration with Hughes Corporation is setting up an eco-friendly village. The selected is Ghasera which at distance of 45km from Gurgaon steps have been taken to set up an computer centre so that computer training can be provided to the resident of Ghasera. Plans are also afoot to renovate and upgrade the village. The land for this purpose has been acquired on a long term lease and plans are to develop it as an eco-friendly village, imbiding the best of our traditionasl features of a healthy environment and modern technology for sustainable development and environment protection.
The Institute is in touch with various agencies and NGO's who have been engaged is such work, inviting them to assist in developing this village. Some of them have already expressed their willingness to display application of their innovation and initiative in respective types of environment protection and improvement techniques and systems. The technologies which will help create an Eco-friendly village will include, a focus on equity,efficiancy and optimum utilization of natural and human resources to address various environment challenges facing India. They will include, among others purification and recycling of water, inexpensive and economical energy alternatives, reclamation and improvement of soil, methods of keeping air pollution levels to the minimum, agriculture and horticulture methods of using minimum of chemical fertilizers, insecticides etc, building techniques to offer healthy, inexpensive and sustainable habitat.

The vilage will be developed according to the needs of an average Indian villages. To be met according to an ideal combination of traditional knowlwdge and modern technology. It will be divided in sectors demonstrating different technologies, but will be synchronolized into one whole to produce the impression of a complete village. Different official agencies and NGO's will be invited to create and manage various parts of the village. They will be offered land by the institute, but will be expected to invest money on the infrastructure and management of their part of the display. This will be an ideal opportunity for them to demonstrate their achievement in the best possible location so close to Delhi.

The village in addition to being a show window for the work of these organizations and various technologies which go to make an eco-friendly habitat will be used for more practical purposes. Those engaged in environmental management, both in public sector and voluntary sectors. The villagers from different areas will also be encouraged to visit it in groups and learn the application of these technologies. Various State government and organizations sponsored by the corporate sector will be persuaded to duplicate the efforts and develop villages on this model