Angels of Tourism: CSMVS has been showcasing history and also protecting the planet

Mumbai is a city blessed with several heritage buildings, but few as iconic as the 102-year-old Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS). An organisation that has diligently preserved ancient, one-of-a-kind relics, the institution has been quietly offering tourists and visitors a greener, more planet-friendly experience.

The organisation has been on a mission to become a ‘green museum’ for several years. “Indian tradition had always acknowledged the boon of nature in its multiple manifestations and passed on to generations these living traditions for preservation. People nurtured it very carefully through rituals, values, customs, and daily practices,” says Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general, CSMVS.

The mission to implement green policies is not just at the organisation level, but is also at the employee level. “All employees are aware that caring for the garden, avoiding wastage of paper and recycling is important. The museum's washrooms are equipped with contraptions that save water, and the air is constantly monitored for pollutants,” shares Joyoti Roy, assistant director, Projects and PR, CSMVS. 

In order to switch to green energy, solar panels were installed in three phases, bringing annual savings of Rs 7 lakh. Keeping in mind the wet waste that gets generated by the staff, a compost machine was installed to convert all biodegradable waste into green gold. This manure is used in maintaining the lush gardens and lawns in the museum’s premises. 

Taking waste segregation very seriously, apart from different dustbins for various kinds of waste, a plastic bottle recycler machine was installed, which keeps the plastic from being thrown away with the dry garbage.  

Keeping in mind the huge quantity of water required to keep the lawns and gardens lush, a rainwater harvesting system was scaled up by installing more water tanks. Now, around 29 million litres of rainwater is harvested each year. All of this is measured with precision with the help of specially installed water meters.

“For our consistent efforts, in 2008, CSMVS became the first museum in Asia to openly disclose its use of green technologies, earning a prestigious Platinum Rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) in 2019,” shares Bhavdatt Patel, senior administrative officer, CSMVS. It is one of the first museums located in a heritage building and a heritage precinct to achieve such a distinction.

Brinda Miller, artist & chairperson of the Kala Ghoda Association, says, “CSMVS has diligently been implementing the sustainable policies for several years, which also won them the Platinum Rating. The green work has been only scaling up and in fact they have also been conducting a lot of sustainability-related workshops.”