HAPPENING -- 19

EVIRONMENT AWARD AND INITIATIVES OF SAVOY AND GATEWAY HOTELS

 

BY P S SUNDAR

 It is praiseworthy that the star-studded hotels – Gateway in Coonoor and Savoy in Ooty – belonging to the IHCL SeleQtions from the Taj stables The Nilgiris in South India have bagged ‘Platinum Certificate’ of EarthCheck, the worlds’ leading International Certifying Agency from Australia, on high level environment.  

Additional Chief Secretary in the Department of Environment Climate Change and Forests Supriya Sahu told me,” This is a marvellous milestone to be achieved at the commencement of peak summer tourism in The Nilgiris.   She said that the certification is a recognition of the hotels' commitment to adhere to high level environment protection measures.    Observing that the Government has been consistently working for re-defining environment to accord a sustainable global value, she said that this recognition deserves to be emulated by the entire hospitality industry.    She congratulated the Cluster General Manager of the Hotels Ritesh Choudhary on winning the coveted recognition and urged him to be the leader to help other hotels also to follow line.

Complimenting the Chief Engineers Sagaya Nathan (Gateway) and Sudharsan (Savoy) for their valuable contribution in winning this global recognition, Ritesh Choudhary said that both the hotels have been applauded for their pro-environment ambiance, controlled carbon footprint and quality hygiene.

In keeping with this and the tradition, both the hotels laid impressive footprints on World Environment Day on June 5.   “We did this in line with the framework to drive our sustainability and social impact measures under Paathya.    Derived from the Sanskrit term पथ्य, inferring a path, Paathya encapsulates initiatives to lead positive change with IHCL’s core values of Trust of all stakeholders, Awareness around the needs of our ecosystem and Joy at heart.  Taking ahead our organisation’s legacy, Paathya forges a journey focused on Environmental Stewardship, Social Responsibility, Excellence in Governance, Preserving Heritage, Value Chain Transformation, and Sustainable Growth”, said S N Deepak, HR Manager of both the hotels.

“We planted more than 500 saplings at various spots through Savoy Hotel Ooty and gave a sapling to each guest on departure. We also conducted emission test on all vehicles of the guests and associates. We conducted an on-the-spot painting competition for the associates on the theme, ‘Only One Earth’.  Likewise, we conducted painting competition for the children of guests”, Ritesh Choudhary disclosed.

“Through Gateway Hotel in Coonoor, in addition to the above activities, we planted tree saplings at Stanely Park, Shanthi Vijaya Primary as well as Higher secondary Schools, and Coonoor Heritage railway station.  In all, we planted 520 saplings”, he noted.

Every year at the summer Flower Show being held by Tamil Nadu Government at the Government Botanical gardens in Ooty, both the hotels receive prizes for their well-maintained gardens and lawns.    This year, both the hotels individually received the largest number of awards in many decades at the world-famous Flower Show 2022 held at Government Botanical Garden Ooty, inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Ritesh Choudhary has listed the awards as under:   

 

Savoy Ooty

 

v  2 Rolling Cup for Best Flower Garden (A) Category in Ooty

v  1^st Prize for Best Lawn (Villa Flora Lawn)

v  2^nd Prize for Best Lawn (Front Lawn)

v  1^st Prize for Best Flower Pots

 

Gateway Coonoor

 

v  2 Rolling Cups for Best Flower Garden (A) Category in Coonoor

v  1^st Prize for Best Lawn

v  1^st Prize for Best Flower Pots

v  2^nd Prize for Herbal Garden (Dining Room)

(Response can also be sent: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)