New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday released the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 Ecological Code that outlines targets set by organisers to cut down on carbon emissions during the mega sporting event.

'For cleaner air, we have closed down one of our coal based power plants. Delhi's (public) vehicles also run on CNG - that is one of the clean fuels. Besides that we are also looking at hybrid vehicles to cut down on the use of petrol and diesel,' Dikshit told reporters here.

'We are focussing on recycling of waste generated during the Games and we have even asked the organising committee to use recycled paper stationary. Besides that, Delhi has a large green cover too,' Dikshit added.

'The Thyagraj Stadium (constructed by the Delhi government) is a model green stadium, which has been fully reconstructed, and will have its own gas-based power generation,' she further said.

Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC); and Shashi Tharoor, union minister of state for external affairs and chairman of the Green Games Sub-committee CGOC, were also present on the occasion.

The ecological code targets the impact of Games on land, energy, water, waste, air and carbon. It outlines the environmental vision and mandates of the CGOC.

'It provides tangible targets and environmental mandates that the organising committee has set out for itself in its quest for striving towards hosting a consumption and carbon neutral event, with a focus on bio-diverse plantation to naturally offset the carbon footprint and sensitisation efforts to ensure legacy impact,' said an official statement here.

-Indo-Asian News Service

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