With paper recycling plant, Dyal Singh College leads the way in sustainability

Dyal Singh College, Karnal, has taken a significant step towards environmental sustainability with the inauguration of its paper recycling plant.

Vice-Admiral Satish Soni (retd), General Secretary, Governing Body, Dyal Singh College, Sarabjeet Singh Sukhija, regional manager, and Abhishek Ranjan, branch manager, State Bank of India, inaugurated the plant.

Enthusiastic members of Prakriti, the college’s eco club, and teaching and non-teaching staff members were among those present at the inauguration of the unit.

Soni extended his gratitude to the State Bank of India for their financial support in establishing the plant.

He said the bank’s contribution had played a pivotal role in promoting ecological awareness and sustainability among students and faculty members.

Principal Dr Ashima Gakhar said understanding the urgent need for eco-friendly initiatives, Prakriti club proposed and successfully implemented the installation of the waste paper recycling/hand-made paper making unit at the college.

The initiative was a step towards better waste management, as it transformed discarded paper and cotton rags into hand-made paper, thereby reducing dependency on forest resources and fostering a cleaner environment, the Principal added.

The paper recycling plant operates on an eco-efficient mechanism, relying solely on mechanical processes such as waste recycling, pulping, sheet formation and natural drying. The unit causes zero air or water pollution, making it a model for sustainable practices.

The hand-made paper produced can be further customised into a range of final products — including writing paper, carry bags, greeting cards, files and folders, envelopes, letterheads, certificate paper and innovative stationery items like pen stands, cube boxes, and document boxes.

The initiative aligns with the vision of National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) and contributes significantly to the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission, promoting cleanliness, waste reduction and environmental responsibility.

The project has the potential to provide students with internship opportunities in the field of sustainable development.