Airtel says will reduce CO2 emissions by 70 per cent in 3 years

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel, India's largest telecom operator, on Monday said it is committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 70 per cent per unit basis over the next three years as it targets deploying 160,000 base stations to improve customer experience and digital inclusion.

"We have undertaken initiatives across the organization to build a 360 degree sustainability agenda and the results over the past few years have been very encouraging," Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO (India & South Asia) of the telco said in the Airtel India Sustainability Report 2016.

"We have also outlined a clear sustainability vision for the future and will continue to build on the positive start we have made," Vittal added.

In the report, Bharti Airtel has also committed to contribute Rs 100,000 for every 0.01 per cent increase in call drop rate beyond 1.5 per cent per month against the TRAI prescribed limit of 2 per cent. "The amount will be contributed towards education of the under privileged," the report said.

The company plans to deploy renewable energy solutions and implement energy efficient technologies and management systems to achieve its green goal.

In the report, the company said it recorded a 74 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions across network infrastructure in the last five years and 27 per cent reduction in the last financial year ended March 31.

Airtel's India Sustainability Report 2016 also said that the company has saved over one billion sheets of paper since FY 2011-12 through a paperless billing initiative. The company also claims to have saved around 1490 MWh of energy and 10.36 million litres of diesel across network infrastructure, data centre and facilities operations, all through its green initiatives.

The company launched a first of its kind Open Network in India, making the entire network information including coverage site details and signal strength, available to customers.