One of the major aims of the SPV, set up on Saturday, is to plant about three lakh saplings and beautify the Waluj industrial area in the next few months.

"This is the country's first environmental cluster formed jointly to make the industrial zone in Aurangabad clean and green," said MECC chairman B S Khose.

He said that aside from the plantation, they will also undertake landscaping along main roads in Waluj.

Cluster vice-chairman Prasad Kokil said that since Waluj is an industrial belt with more than 2,400 industries it is the need of the hour to reduce pollution and improve greenery. He also appealed to industries to ensure the cleanliness of their premises and manage solid waste at their level.

Khose recalled that the mission to make the Waluj industrial belt clean and green had begun three years ago,

Kokil added that various industrial associations in Aurangabad, including government bodies like the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), carried out a "MahaswachhataAbhiyan" last year and cleaned up Waluj MIDC by collecting about 2,000 tractor-loads of garbage.

"The efforts of these bodies to keep the area clean and green strengthened with 10,000 people coming forward to support them in their endeavour," added Kokil

He said the SPV was formed to provide a sustainable solution. "Prominent associations in Aurangabad came together and formed cluster for the management of non-hazardous solid waste in MIDC Waluj, and environment protection," he said.