Urban Update January 2016

ISSN 2349-6266 RNI No DELENG/2014/57384

Setting The Agenda For Tomorrow’s Cities

UrbanUpdate Volume III, Issue I

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January 2016

Survival of the fittest Ministry of Urban Development to announce the 20 winners of Smart City Challenge in January 2016

DAWN Of ASPIRATIONS

2015 was a landmark year for cities all over the world and paved a concrete path for a bright urban transition. How India crafts its urban development vision this year will profoundly impact the future of our cities

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AIILSG has been selected to work for Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

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January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

EDITORIAL

Visioning for better cities

W

e live in an age of rapid urbanization the world over. The pace of urbanization may vary in different regions but the direction does not. Rapid urbanization on the one hand burdens city administrators and presents significant challenges in dealing with issues of service delivery and overall livability. On the other hand it presents an opportunity for city planners and practitioners of urban development to do some out-of-the-box thinking for creative solutions.If one were to look at urbanization not as a passive outcome of development, but asan outpost of opportunity, one is likely to come up with new ideas and thereby counter the challenges by crafting innovative solutions for people friendly cities. Surely this calls for vision on the part of policy makers, city planners and administrators.

The Indian government’s Smart Cities programme offers one such opportunity wherein the Challenge calls for the selected cities to prepare redevelopment or retrofitting or greenfield development plans for parts of their cities. Such an exercise is a very potent tool for planners to unleash their creativity and showcase their vision of what such a redeveloped or retrofitted or greenfield city/suburb can indeed be, not limited to incremental tinkering of the existing sprawl. The Challenge calls for detailed implementable plans including funding choices and user-charge levies. A central theme in the entire process is the consultative approach which is mandated. Public engagement has been widely practiced by all the Challenge cities with keen participation by various stakeholder groups.

This will enable the generation of ‘owned’ visions for the cities with a greater element of inclusivity. While out of the almost hundred cities that would be preparing and submitting such plans, only the best twenty would get selected for Capt. Anant Modi Editor-In-Chief implementation in the first round, the remaining will have time to fine tune their plans for the next round of the Challenge. And indeed there would be as many as a hundred visionary plans for cities-cities that are smart,safe, efficient, livable and equitable.

Another big City-building opportunity may be the building of the proposed new capital of Andhra Pradesh-Amaravati. The State Government led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has seized this opportunity presented by the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh and the need for a new capital.It has decided to imprint on the plans for the capital its vision for sustainable urbanization. The plans for this riverfront city on the banks of the Krishna River articulate the vision of the political leadership and the best minds in the business. Starting from the land acquisition stage, done through a voluntary land-pooling system in which thousands of farmers parted with about 30,000 acres of land in lieu of annuity payments and developed land, the Project will have many first-of-its-kind showcase elements. There will be a number of sub-cities or districts including a government city, a health city, an education and knowledge city and a sports city,with appropriate infrastructure to support the theme activity. The designing will make creative use of green spaces and water bodies to enhance aesthetic appeal and environmental sustainability. Innovative transport systems including use of interlinked water ways are on the anvil. While the city is still on the drawing board and plans are being shared with the public and their suggestions sought, we are likely to have in the form of Amaravati, one of the best model cities of the Country.

Such a Vison for any City developed through a multi-stakeholder consultative process, one which involves the citizen, can bring long terms benefits and value. The process could gain from frequent engagement with diverse stakeholder groups at key decision points on each proposal. While different needs and priorities may lead tonuanced articulations of the vision and city development strategies, some common ingredients may find place in all. Good governance, equity, financial sustainability,productivity and systematic poverty reduction, for example.Such a strategic vison which is owned by all stakeholders will go a long way in enabling improved urban governance, equitable economic growth and urban poverty reduction. Then we can surely see more cities which are, safe, healthy, vibrant, flourishing and equitable.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Quotes

PIN POINT

BUZZ

As cities are major engines of economic growth, employment opportunities and prosperity, they have to be sustained to become locomotives of our economies and havens of healthy living.

Smart Cities would make the cities networked to become efficient, safe and better in delivery of services

Smartness shouldn’t be confined to multi-storeyed buildings. We should capture conservation and greenery with Internet of Things. Let us not make smart buildings initiative only a Delhi-centric phenomenon but take it to smaller towns and cities

Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India

Ravi Shankar Prasad Communications and IT Minister

Devendra Fadnavis @Dev_Fadnavis Chief Minister, Maharashtra

Maharashtra Govt has already signed a MoU with global technology major @Cisco for making Nagpur a smart and safe city

Anne Hidalgo @Anne_Hidalgo Paris Mayor

Paris decided on a Bike Plan so that our city can become a world capital of cycling

Rick Robinson @dr_rick IT Director (Smart Cities), AmeyPLC

The #SmartCities concept is 19 years old.

Will 2016 be the year we stop taking about them & start *building* them?

The financing of climatesmart cities will need broad partnerships. To forge publicprivate partnerships and tap private financial markets, mayors must demonstrate “the seriousness of their finances”

With the announcement of first batch of 20 Smart Cities in January, New Year 2016 is set to be a landmark year in the annals of urban development in the country

Ijjasz-Vasquez Senior Director for the new Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice World Bank

M Venkaiah Naidu Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Parliamentary Affairs

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January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Mike Lydon @MikeLydon Author, Tactical Urbanism

Rents aren’t rising in American cities because the wealthy want to live there – they’re rising because everyone does

Inside

Volume 3, Issue I

Inside January 2016

LeaderSpeak

8

Smart cities need smarter planning

It is important for our urban local bodies to understand that smart cities is not a destination, but part of an on-going journey towards building and managing cities in a sustainable manner

Articles

16

18

Anybody for poor?

Are our cities well equipped to welcome the avalanche of new people? Are our economists and sociologists, besides planners ready with any plan, especially for the new lot of urban poor?

In 2016, Nations May Govern But Cities Rule

The world will have no shortage of urgent challenges in 2016 — income inequality, demographic transformation, international migration, and climate change, just to name a few.

At the same time, the locus of problem-solving is devolving downward

20

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Dawn of aspirations How India crafts its urban development vision in 2016 will profoundly impact the future of our cities

Setting the new urban agenda The Habitat-III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, will take place in Quito, Ecuador in 2016 to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization

RegularS

38 6 46

Cover story

Newscan Pin Point Urban Agenda

Smart Cities Mission

32

cop 21

Survival of the fittest

36

Ministry of Urban Devel- opment will announce the winners of Smart City Competition in January 2016. The 20 winner-cities will get funding from the government under the Smart City Mission. The other 80 cities will be selected in the following two years

Cities to play a crucial role post COP21

Countries around the world reached a landmark accord in Paris, setting the course for a historic transformation of the world’s fossil fuel-driven economy within decades in a bid to arrest global warming

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Leaderspeak | Smart Cities

Ranjit S Chavan President, AIILSG

Smart Cities need smarter planning The year 2015 witnessed a slew of measures taken by the central government to infuse vibrancy in cities and towns of the country by launching many time-bound initiatives such as Smart Cities Mission, Housing for All, Digital India and AMRUT. The list of 20 winners of Smart City Challenge will be out, now it is important for our urban local bodies to understand that smart cities is not a destination, but part of an on-going journey towards building and managing cities in a sustainable manner

I

n 2015, the Urban Development Ministry, civil society organisations, research and consultancy firms and other stakeholders participated in discussions on smart cities at various platforms to understand the imperatives of building smart cities. There is no clear cut definition of a smart city so everyone came up with one of their own. Many said that embedding technology in city systems can make them smart, efficient and easy-tomanage. When the discussion and debate on smart cities began, many were sceptical that smart cities will do no good unless basic urban challenges of waste, water and traffic are resolved. People had doubts. Many were of the view that smart cities will not be inclusive and will be for the rich. And, those who had believed in the Mission came forward with their suggestions. Some suggested building green infrastructure in cities for giving a push to the global campaign on sustainable

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January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

development. Many others suggested that improving basic amenities by making the operational mechanism efficient through use of the latest technologies in managing city systems would be necessary.

After having a range of discussions with urban planners, policy makers and experts in the domain of urban development, the Government of India released the mission statement and guidelines of the Smart City Mission. It says, “In the imagination of any city dweller in India, the picture of a Smart City contains a wish list of infrastructure andservices that describes his or her level of aspiration. To provide for the aspirations and needsof the citizens, urban planners ideally aim at developing the entire urban eco-system, whichis represented by the four pillars of comprehensive development — institutional, physical,social and economic infrastructure.

This can be a long term goal and cities can work towardsdeveloping such comprehensive

infrastructure incrementally, adding on layers of ‘smartness’.”

“The objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions. The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities.”

The government had made it mandatory for city authorities to make their smart city plans after consulting the citizens through online and offline discussion forums. In the first stage of the competition, the process of citizen consultation was employed well by most local governments.

People participated in large numbers and gave their suggestions for making their cities better. Municipal bodies across the country should consider this exercise as a genesis of formal citizen consultations in planning the development of cities. This will help them in fulfilling the needs of their citizens instead of providing them services or infrastructural development which are not on community’s priority list. It is important to understand that urban development would go on the right trajectory only when it becomes a demand-driven, community led phenomenon. Smart Cities Mission also throws up an opportunity for urban local bodies in India to empower themselves and take charge of their cities. While the competition for the selection of Smart Cities is over, it is yet to be seen how urban local bodies are going to implement their plans.

In a few days, 20 cities will enter the implementation phase and would set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and

chalk out their implementation plans.

They may have come up with efficient and practical plans but to translate them into an actionable agenda on the ground will still be a challenge for the local authorities which are faced with an acute shortage of skilled staff. Local bodies should take up capacity building of their existing staff on an urgent basis so that the projects can be run without the assistance of external agencies.

It will not only save them money and improve efficiency but also ensure longevity of the projects proposed.

Learning from the West

Indian cities have a lot to learn from their global peers, which have improved their functioning over a period of time with constant overhauling of their operational mechanism and infrastructure as per the needs of their citizens. It is not necessary that every solution adopted in those cities will work in India but it is important to study and analyze their phase-wise transitional journey of becoming smart and efficient cities. We can analyze our local conditions and situations and implement those solutions which suit our requirements best.

Urban Local bodies need to focus on the most critical problems of the city and look within to find solutions because at times what works for Brussels might not work for Bareilly.

There are many cities around the globe which have engaged citizens in the city management mechanism by allowing their citizens to access data.

A lot of innovation in smart cities could come from start-ups. Recently, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had organized a hackathon in which the local body had given access to their data to computer engineers. The

The mission should not be limited to building just 100 Smart Cities in India as they will be inadequate in view of the large-scale migration the country is witnessing. All other cities which could not make it to the list of Smart Cities can begin finding out the most pressing problems they face and what could be the best solutions

event was a success. Such initiatives should not be limited to metro cities and can be replicated elsewhere too.

The handholding and learning from each other’s experiences in a country like India will expedite the process of urban rejuvenation.

Cities in the developed and developing world are watching India to see how urban local bodies make their cities smart. The mission should not be limited to building just 100 Smart Cities in India as they will be inadequate in view of the large-scale migration the country is witnessing.

All other cities which could not make it to the list of Smart Cities can begin finding out the most pressing problems they face and what could be the best solutions. There is a crying need to create more urban centres to absorb the growing migration and reduce the burden on cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Dependable civic services, a clean & safe environment and constant citizen engagement will all contribute to creating many more efficient, vibrant and smart cities and bring about overall well-being of the population.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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COVER STORY | Urban Vision 2016

COVER STORY | Urban Vision 2016

DAWN Of ASPIRATIONS

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Januaruy 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

2015 was a landmark year for cities all over the world and paved a concrete path for a bright urban transition. The UN released its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for the next fifteen years; in Paris, 195 countries signed an agreement at the Conference of Parties-21 (COP-21)and committed themselves to take sincere steps to save the environment; and the Indian government launched an array of city-centric initiatives.

2016 will be a crucial year as it will see the initial implementation of these flagship missions and schemes. How India crafts its urban development vision this year will profoundly impact the future of our cities Abhishek Pandey Editor, ap.urbanupdate@gmail.com

2

015 witnessed the launch of not only new urban missions but also various initiatives on multiple development fronts that touch upon the periphery of urban development. It is expected that 2016 will accelerate the process of urban rejuvenation with effective implementation of these initiatives.

That’s one thing the New Year always offers: expectations of a better future. It is both an opportunity and a challenge for local authorities to capacitate themselves inspite of their scanty skill base, and limited administrative and financial powers.

With the announcement of the first 20 smart cities in the very first month of the year and linking development in cities with multiple focussed schemes of the central government such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, AMRUT, Housing for All, Solar Cities, Make in India and Digital India, all levels of the government will have to join hands for making these initiatives a success.

Several reasons can be adduced for India’s shift from unplanned urban growth to planned urbanisation that promises state-of-the-art amenities coupled with efficient service delivery mechanisms. The world watches in awe at the speed and scale of this

transformationas Indian cities are among the most populated and polluted cities of the world. Indian cities can become a beacon of hope for others looking to manage urban migration and build more livable cities.

The United States of America (USA) may have cities that have better infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms than other global cities but following India, it also launched its own Smart Cities Initiative in September 2015. It will be going overboard to say that Indian urban missions have inspired the USA to launch such initiatives, as their cities are already well-governed and boast of a better city system than our cities but Indian cities, despite being poorly resourced and heavily burdened, have an opportunity to lead the way towards smartness.

According to a press statement released by the White House, the initiative will invest over $160 million in federal research and leverage more than 25 new technology collaborations to help local communities tackle key challenges such as reducing traffic congestion, fighting crime, fostering economic growth, managing the effects of changing climate, and improving the delivery of city services. The new initiative is part of this Administration’s

overall commitment to target federal resources to meet local needs and support community-led solutions.

Recently, the US government’s Department of Transport launched the Smart City Challenge through which one city will be selected in a nationwide competition. The city will show what is possible when communities use technology to connect transportation assets into an interactive network.

The challenge will concentrate federal resources and funding of up to $40 million into one medium-sized city that puts forward bold, data-driven ideas to improve lives by making transportation safer, easier, and more reliable.

Growing aspirations

Not since the thrilling days of the economic liberalisation have we seen the same excitement and enthusiasm amongst citizens. People are excited with the idea of high-tech cities, bullet trains, efficient delivery of civic amenities, improved urban mobility with Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) and light trains, industrial corridors, smart buildings, etc. The thrills of introduction of Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and other sensor based technological advancements in service delivery systems are electrifying the young. People are now aware what other cities around the

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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COVER STORY | Urban Vision 2016

world are offering to their citizens and expect their corporations to provide similar facilities.

Many such projects have been initiated or are to be initiated in many cities of the country but scaling-up the projects nationwide to all cities and towns is a colossal challenge; especially when local authorities lack capacity

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Januaruy 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

and funds. Some of these plans, which have already been implemented, were successful in some cities but not in others. For example: the BRT is a success in Ahmadabad and Indore but failed badly in Delhi. The dismantling of BRT corridor in the national capital has already begun. There is a need to assess the local conditions and ways of

handling initiatives to understand what will work in a city and what will not. Just picking up and adopting a technology used elsewhere will not help. Assessing local conditions, opportunities and limitations is necessary.

All the grand plans of leveraging state-of-the-art technology in managing cities is expected to have a

trickle-down effect, but will that work when the ratio of highly skilled to unskilled staff in the implementation agencies commanded mostly by state governments is disproportionately low.

The Indian government has pumped in money and resources to improve the functioning of our city systems.

Undeniably, policies adopted by Indian

The Indian government has pumped in money and resources to improve functioning of our city systems. Undeniably, policies adopted by Indian government in the last year have helped build a climate of trust across the spectrum of warring stakeholders including city leaders, administrators and citizens

government in the last year have helped build a climate of trust across the spectrum of warring stakeholders including city leaders, administrators and citizens. Many multi-national companies have come forward promising financial and technical assistance to augment the pace of improving operational efficiency of service delivery mechanisms in our cities.

There is no doubt that our cities are improving—some with greater energy than others. If the government intends to make our cities world-class then there is a need to devolve more powers to urban local bodies to meet the growing aspirations of their citizens.

The problems of cities can be resolved in alternative ways by reducing the flow of population to cities through use of appropriate technologies to expand productivity in the villages.

We must push for better technologies at all levels—advanced, intermediate, elementary—in villages, towns and cities to ensure a bright future for the next generation.

Genesis of change

Paris, the French capital, which until the end of 2015 was defined as the relatively small old Paris area within the ‘Périphérique’ ring road, expands as of January 1, 2016 to become the Métropole de Grand Paris (Metropolis of Greater Paris). The Metropole will be administered by 209 councillors chosen by local authorities in the new expanded Greater Paris which will include the suburbs (banlieue) and now cover 814 square kilometres

Cities are facing multiple challenges and there is a growing need to arrest the deteriorating conditions in urban centres. Cities are often seen as functioning nodes in a prospering economy.

According to France 24, Paris, the French capital, which until the end of 2015 was defined as the relatively small old Paris area within the ‘Périphérique’ ring road, expands as of January 1, 2016 to become the Métropole de Grand Paris (Metropolis of Greater Paris). The Metropole will be administered by 209 councillors chosen by local authorities in the new expanded Greater Paris which will include the suburbs (banlieue) and now cover 814 square kilometres. It will incorporate three entire administrative regions, all the Capital’s major airports and just under seven million people. In comparison, Greater London covers an area of 1,572 square kilometres and a population of 8.5 million. The Metropolitan Council will be responsible for urban planning, housing and the environment. The

changes coincide with plans to expand the city’s metro public transport system to connect the Capital’s suburbs to the heart of the city.

Similarly, other cities around the globe are making efforts to rejuvenate their urban spaces with innovative urban planning initiatives. Joburg 2030, the initiative launched by the Johannesburg City Council, is a visionary plan that intends to reshape the city’s economy and geography and ultimately transform it into a worldclass business centre with services and standards of living on par with the capitals of the developed world. The plan seeks to boost investment in the city, raising economic growth in order to provide Johannesburg residents with a sustainable increase in wealth and quality of life, and the Council with increased revenues for improved services and more efficient delivery.

We need not only learn from the success stories of global cities but also avoid the mistakes some national governments made in the process of urbanisation. Like in China, the government has indulged in overdrive of urbanisation. They created hundreds of small and big cities featuring everything from high tech malls to sports stadia. But such cities, despite providing world-class facilities, could not attract sizeable population. These cities are now knows as Ghost Cities.

According to a book Ghost Cities of China written by Wade Shepard, “a ghost town is a place that has become economically defunct, a location whose population and business base drops to ineffectual numbers. Ghost cities are the result of prematurely built and underfunded urbanization projects that lose backing midway through completion.” There are hundreds of such towns and cities in China. This is a staggering fact because it is expected that one in eight people on Earth would live in a Chinese city by 2030.

Follow the writer on Twitter @abhishekpandey

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Numerographs

Poised to Accelerate The process of urban growth and structural development is poised to accelerate in cities globally. Statistics tell us that cities are growing at a fast pace and their infrastructure and service delivery require immediate attention for correction and improvement to keep them alive and kicking. The government has been working on a series of steps which, over the medium to long term, will begin reflecting on the ground. In the present scheme of things, making cities inclusive for one and all is crucial Abhishek Pandey, Editor

Growth of Urban Population in India--Contributing Factors

1991-2001

2001-2011

Reclassified Urban Areas 20%

Reclassified Urban Areas 32% Migration 21%

Migration 24%

Natural increase 59%

Natural increase 44%

The share of urban poor in

The High Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) appointed

the total number of poor in

by the MoUD says that there is a requirement of

India is growing and is now

investment in urban infrastructure to the tune of

close to

Rs

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27%

January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

39.2 lakh crore over the next 20 years

Most Urbanised Nations

Growth of population in India’s Largest Cities

100 100 98.4 98

97.4

96

95.8

94

94

14,000,000

92.5

92

92.4

12,000,000

91.7

90

10,000,000

90.1

88

89.1 86

8,000,000 2011 2001

84 6,000,000

82 Singapore

Kuwait

Belgium

4,000,000

Qatar

Venezuela

Uruguay

Argentina

Israel

UK

2,000,000

Australia

Urban population (in %)

0 Mumbai

World’s Largest Cities

New Delhi

Bangalore

Hyderabad

Chennai

Ahmedabad

Kolkata

Surat

Pune

Jaipur

Top 10 countries with maximum urban population

40,000,000

800

Population (in million)

35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000

700

37.8m

683.5

600

30.5m 24.9m

500

24.1m

23.5m

10,000,000 5,000,000

23.4m

415.6 400

22.1m 21m

20.6m

20.5m

300

275.2

185.4

200

0

147.2 100

99.8

93.8

91.8

86.1

75.6

Russian federation

Nigeria

Mexico

Japan

Pakistan

0 China

India

United states

Brazil

Indonesia

Urban Population (in million)

Total population of 98 Smart Around

120 million urban

dwellers in India live in slums

City aspirants is

13 crore

Over

5 million people

accounting for 35 per cent of

move to cities globally

country’s urban population

each month

Source: World Bank, Census 2001 and 2011, Demographia World Urban Atlas, 2015

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Article | Urban Poor

Anybody for poor?

Are our cities well equipped to welcome the avalanche of new people? Are our economists and sociologists, besides planners ready with any plan, especially for the new lot of urban poor?

Abhilash Khandekar National Political Editor, Dainik Bhaskar kabhilash59@gmail.com

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January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

T

hat the world is fast urbanising and an unprecedented number of people are migrating to cities from rural areas is now a fact all policy planners,

demographers, sociologists and urban designers must keep in mind all the time. More than 50 per cent of the world’s population is already living in cities and large towns and this is likely to grow to 66% by 2050 (UN DESA,

2014). Meaning, in effect, the rural population would be much less than 35% in another three decades time.

A few years ago, the then planning commission released its own figures and the definition of the urban poor and the rural poor when Montek Singh Ahluwalia was the head of the planning commission and the well-known economic face of the Dr Manmohan Singh led UPA government. But the definition soon kicked up a row as it said that anyone spending Rs 33 or more per day in urban areas was not poor while for the one living in villages, the corresponding figure was Rs 27.

Later the Rangarajan Committee report revised the poverty line and redefined the thresholds as Rs 47 per day for urban and Rs 32 per day for rural. The Rangarajan committee,

Highlights ♦♦ According to the Rangarajan Committee, there are 102.05 million poor in urban India ♦♦ As per the Committee, People spending less than Rs 47 a day in cities come under Below Poverty Line (BPL) ♦♦ 32.7 per cent of developing countries’ population lives in slums. UNHABITAT projects 1.5 billion population to be living in the slums in the developing countries by 2020

was tasked to deal with redefining the poverty line following the public outrage created by the earlier planning commission figures. According to the Rangarajan panel findings, there are 102.05 million poor people living in urban India.

The question is how we are going to deal with urban poor. While every elected government untiringly talks of poor--urban or rural--in effect we see that in India after close to 70 years of its independence, there seems no robust plan or thinking in the government for the poor living in cities.

India had million-plus cities numbering 35 in 2001 which would be 75 by 2021 and large cities or towns with over a lakh of population would be more than 500. Such a scenario makes us worried wondering whether there is any thinking that goes into the health care, sanitation, nutrition, safety and other issues related to the urban poor’s family support. In other words there looms large a question of inclusiveness in urban governance.

Unfortunately, in addition to the existing poor living in cities be it Delhi or Mumbai, Lucknow or Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar or Bhopal, every day new migrants are entering and first settling in the peri-urban areas and then slowly moving into cities in search of better opportunities or to solve their basic bread and butter issues.

The tottering urban infrastructure of ever-swelling cities is actually not ready to welcome new poor into their laps but there seems no option.

A decade or so ago, suddenly the fashion came in vogue of trying to make ‘slum-free cities’. Some policy measures and concrete steps were taken but that did not rid any Indian city of slums completely. Today the danger that is staring in the eyes of all is that of the system’s apparent failure to provide for a model which is all inclusive.

In the absence of government services, facilities for public health, job and shelter, most of the Indian cities are turning into hell. The municipal corporations or state government’s urban affairs department clearly fall short of any imaginative planning for the urban poor.

Only a few days ago when I visited Ghaziabad, very close to Delhi (and under NCR), I could not believe my eyes when I saw the all round dirt, pollution, filth and odour. The over populated urban pocket is just not livable, not to speak of anything close to smart city planning the government is incessantly talking about. There was this huge land fill area with a fish, mutton market. It was impossible to stand there for even five minutes, such unhealthy atmosphere I witnessed all around. And many poor people came running to me when I was doing a shoot for an environment show, complaining about the odour and unhygienic conditions they were forced to live in.

If this could be near Delhi, though in Uttar Pradesh, we can imagine what could be the condition of people living in abject poverty elsewhere in smaller cities. State of the District hospitals, insufficient (safe)drinking water sources, horrible housing conditions coupled with total lack of sanitation, not to speak of education facilities is the real fact sheet of urban India, barring may be very few exceptions.

With the Modi administration trying to create smart cities, and introducing other urban schemes, social inclusiveness must be the new mantra for urban planners. Or else there would be a very serious social problem on hand besides a huge rise in crimes all over. That social unrest would be difficult to handle if timely focus is not shifted on the lakhs and lakhs of urban poor who unfortunately find no patrons in the government’s scheme of things.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Opinion | Vision for Cities

In 2016, Nations May Govern But Cities Rule The world will have no shortage of urgent challenges in 2016 — income inequality, demographic transformation, international migration, and climate change, just to name a few. At the same time, the locus of problemsolving is devolving downward

C

Bruce Katz Former VP, Brookings Metro

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January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

ities have become the engines of national economies and the vanguard of economic and social innovation.

In 2016, devolution will accelerate, and the solutions to our toughest problems will increasingly come from local leaders, acting in close concert with institutional investors, global corporations, and higher levels of government.

Traditionally, devolution consists of national governments formally bestowing greater powers and responsibilities upon local areas.

Indeed, this traditional form of devolution is on the rise—in the United States with the recent repudiation of No Child Left Behind; in the United Kingdom with the unprecedented devolution of powers to Manchester and Sheffield; in France with the creation of the grande metropole, a set of regional governance structures around Paris; and in Italy, where constitutional changes have given nine metropolitan areas greater autonomy.

But these formal power transfers are being outpaced by a tide of informal devolution. As the effectiveness of central governments has diminished, responsibility has increasingly fallen upon cities and metropolitan areas.

This transition has occurred partially because of crippling partisanship and preexisting budgetary commitments at the national level. But in many ways, the floundering of national

governments and the resulting rise of cities was inevitable. Centralized, hyper-specialized, one-size-fits-all approaches are fundamentally illsuited for today’s challenges. Twentyfirst-century problems demand rapid, locally-tailored solutions that take a holistic approach to problemsolving — approaches that deploy the expertise, capacity, and resources of the public, private, and civic sectors in collaboration.

These collaborative networks are inventing a wide array of innovative approaches to problem-solving. They are quietly modernizing and creating new instruments, intermediaries, and institutions to enable the investments necessary to overcoming our greatest challenges — investments in human capital, sustainable infrastructure, transformative redevelopment, clean energy and energy efficiency, and innovative urban technologies. This process is gradually but fundamentally transforming our notions of city governance.

First, new financial instruments and practices are channeling capital toward sustainable and inclusive activities.

Much attention has been paid to impact investing and the rise of Pay for Success Bonds, recently used in Salt Lake County to expand pre-kindergarten to economically disadvantaged children.

But new instruments are springing up in many other areas of policy. Green Bonds have emerged as a means of funding clean energy and energy

A street view of Times Square, Manhattan

efficiency projects. And consensus is building around treating large urban redevelopment projects as a single asset class, lowering the barriers to investing in massive, economy-shaping projects such as London’s Kings Cross.

Second, new intermediary organizations are emerging to bring disparate sectors of society together, a process essential in creating opportunity and economic growth. Incubators such as the Cambridge Innovation Center are matching startups to experts and seed capital. Hubs such as Chicago’s 1871 are pairing large companies like United Airlines and State Farm with entrepreneurial firms and talent.

Social innovators such as LaunchCode in St. Louis are linking new coders

Cities are modernizing and creating new special-purpose public, quasi-public and civic institutions that are unlocking the value of underutilized public assets and financing a wide range of transformative projects

to good jobs in mature companies.

Other intermediaries such as the Texas Medical Center in Houston are acting as the connective tissue between large anchor institutions (like hospitals and universities) to achieve greater innovation through collaboration.

Finally, cities are modernizing and creating new special-purpose public, quasi-public and civic institutions that are unlocking the value of underutilized public assets and financing a wide range of transformative projects. HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, a company owned by the City of Hamburg, is overseeing the largest inner city regeneration effort in Europe through the redevelopment of former port and industrial sites.

In Copenhagen, CPH City and Port Development, a company jointly owned by the municipal and national governments, is developing areas along the waterfront. In the United States and elsewhere, community land trusts have provided stable foundations for affordable housing. And CORTEX in St. Louis and 22@ in Barcelona have governed the build out of innovation districts in those two cities.

These new instruments, intermediaries, and institutions point to a new cycle of problem-solving.

Rather than waiting for national or state programs to deliver solutions to their doorsteps, cities are inventing and improving new kinds of marketoriented responses that, once proven and standardized, can be adapted to multiple communities.

It’s ironic that the benefits of devolution are surfacing just as the American presidential election is heating up. It’s not that the election isn’t important — the federal government plays an irreplaceable role across many areas of policy, like guaranteeing the social safety net, conducting our foreign affairs, and providing funding for basic research. But centralized policymaking and implementation cannot keep up with many of the rapidly evolving challenges of the 21st century. So when the presidential horserace gets exhausting, remember this: The world is transforming from the bottom up, driven by the innovative actions of networks in our cities and metropolitan areas.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Article | Habitat III

Setting the new urban agenda

Kulwant Singh Advisor (Asia), Urban Basic Services, UN-Habitat kulwant.singh@unhabitat.org

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ndia as a global leader has been increasingly playing an important role in the international setting in leading and advocating for inclusive development. It has been actively leading and engaging with the UN and its various processes. India has a growing urban population which currently stands at 32.4%. India needs to be adequately represented in the international arena and in UN processes like the Habitat III Conference to envision the future of India’s cities. As a founder member of the UN-Habitat since 1978, India has been closely involved with UN-Habitat and actively participated in HABITATII in Istanbul in 1996. Presently, India is pro-actively preparing to participate in HABITAT-III.

Significance for India

At the national level the process is being coordinated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India.

A National Habitat Committee comprising of representatives of various ministries of the Government of India, representatives of state and local governments, civil society and the

20 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

The Habitat-III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, will take place in Quito, Ecuador from 17-20 October, 2016. The Conference is set to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization through the calling for a “New Urban Agenda” building on the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul in 1996 and to guide the path of urban development for the next 20 years.

This will be the first UN global summit after the adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the COP21, the new climate change agreement

private sector, academic institutions and external support agencies has been established under the chairpersonship of Secretary HUPA to oversee India’s preparations for Habitat-III. In addition, NHC shall be responsible to study the impact of urbanization on national and local development; urban job creation directly through construction and urban basic services industries, and indirectly as an investor multiplier of the national economy; improved economic and social efficiency of the city, better mobility plans, better water and sanitation services, better drainage and energy provision; and facilitating formulation of national urban policy, including population growth forecasts, transportation and energy corridors, intermediate cities, market towns and small settlements and the promotion and formulation of a Global Housing Strategy; and engagement with the World Urban Campaign. India actively participated in the High Level preparatory meetings for Habitat-III in Nairobi and Jakarta. A National Report has been drafted which has reviewed trends in urbanization and urban economy since HABITAT-II in 1996.

The report also presents the scenario

relating to urban lands, planning and mobility, urban environment, urban housing and urban services, urban legislation and governance and urban municipal finance. The report also presents the current urban initiatives in the context of the new urban agenda to meet the challenge of meeting the sustainable development goals in India and to cope up with the challenge of future urbanisation in the country in the next two decades.

Keeping in view the importance of this global conference, many civil society organisations that include YUVA, have been organizing regional and national level discussions to be involved in the preparatory process of HABITAT-III. They have also been participating in the regional and thematic meetings that took place in Indonesia and other countries.

National Institute of Urban Affairs organised Urban Thinkers Campus in October 2015 on the theme “The City We Need Fosters Inclusive Prosperity”.

Habitat for Humanity is also hosting Urban Thinkers Campus on the theme of Safety and Sanitation in New Delhi on 11-12 February 2016. The United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UN MGCY) is organising the

Indian Urban Youth Forum (IUYF) in Delhi on February 19-20, 2016 and would serve as a national platform for India’s youth to articulate urban challenges and solutions impacting their lives and communities.

Commenting on the relevance and significance of HABITAT-III for India, a civil society organisation Inhaf of Pune stated that “HABITATIII offers a platform, both external and internal, to the countries, their governments, decision makers, experts, civil society and people to assess the journey, efforts and achievements in making their living places—cities, towns and villages—and the working environments better, healthier, efficient, productive and sustainable.

For the Government of India, this is a good opportunity to bring to the notice of the world community its bold resolve and unprecedented efforts to meet the country’s urban and development challenge head on—in the form of ambitious policies, programs and projects for the development of the cities and towns. By any count initiatives such as the Smart Cities, AMRUT, Housing for All by 2022, Make in India, the Skills Development Program, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan etc. constitute a formidable package aimed at making the Indian cities better places to live, work, progress, prosper and contribute to the overall national growth. These initiatives put together and executed with purpose and imagination have the potential to trigger a process that could transform the urban landscape. Habitat-III

provides an opportunity to showcase these initiatives imaginatively to attract partners, investors, technology and contributors in other forms from among the governments, institutions, market players and others”.

India’s urbanisation trends between Habitat II and Habitat III and beyond – a review

India is at a crucial stage in its urban transition. With 377 million urban population and 7933 urban settlements as per 2011 census, India’s urban system is second largest in the world.

Experts contend that as India has crossed the threshold of 30% urban population, much of the population growth over the 2015–30 period will occur in the urban areas. Pattern of urban growth in India has changed its course. The 2001–2011 decade shows two important trends: (i) Increasing numbers and (ii) rising population shares of metropolitan cities. By 2030, India’s urban population is expected to touch 600 million. In terms of percentage the urban population in the next 20 years by 2036 is expected to reach 46% from the present level of 33% in 2015.

Class I cities account for 70.2 per cent of the total urban population.

Larger cities are growing at a faster pace. The growth pattern of urbanization in India continues to be uneven. There are signals that the unevenness may have increased between 1991 and 2011. Differentiation in the pattern of metropolitan growth

has important implications for urban growth strategy. Census towns present problems of sprawl and unregulated development, resulting in weakening of agglomeration economies.

The challenge of financing urban development

Financing urban development (housing, infrastructure and services) is perhaps the most demanding challenge that India faces in managing urbanization.

According to the McKinsey India Report, India needs to invest US$ 1.2 trillion in urban infrastructure over a 20 year period; HPEC estimates the requirements at US$ 640 million (2009 – 10) for eliminating the deficits and meeting the requirements of the incremental population until 2031.

Irrespective of the estimates used, the requirements are phenomenally large.

Current spending levels are estimated to be no more than 25 percent of the requirements, leaving cities in a state of inadequate services and infrastructure.

The finances of municipalities central to the process of urbanization are far from robust.

Internally generated resources have stagnated at about 0.50.6% of GDP and display no buoyancy.

Nor have initiatives to reform property taxation or user charges led to any improvement in the finances of municipalities. Transfers (48.4%) have bridged the fiscal gap but not on a scale that would equal the money value of the service level benchmarks.

Urban land constitutes 3.1% of the country’s land area. Land acquisition for meeting the urban needs continues

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Article | Habitat III

to be a cumbersome process. Town and Country Planning legislations lay down the parameters for land development and preparation of master plans. Relevance of Master Plans is under serious scrutiny. There are inefficiencies in the functioning of land market due to high transaction cost, including high stamp duties; nonregistration of significant proportions of transactions; and existence of a large informal market.

Several initiatives have been undertaken to address urban land market that inter alia include: (i) the Land Acquisition Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act 2013 (ii) Landpooling, land readjustment, negotiated land purchases, and transit oriented development as instruments for increasing land supplies and (iii ) Simplified (online) procedures for land registration.

Other Initiatives include: ♦♦ Revision of Urban and Regional Development plan Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines 2014, underlining the need for vision-led approach, comprehensive and integrated approach and urban-rural integration. ♦♦ Development of new towns and corridor development along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) route and Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh and transit – oriented development Promoting systematic urban planning and compact urban form, with optimal land utilization, providing for security of tenure, making land available for productive use with a properly functioning efficient land market are among the strategies for upcoming challenges on land and urban planning.

Urban environment

Indian cities are experiencing high concentration of energy use, affecting air quality. Household and industrial effluents are causing serious damage to aquifers and other sources of water.

Among the several initiatives and strategies for urban environment and climate change include National Action

22 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Plan on Climate Change, comprising eight missions including a mission on sustainable habitat. The Mission on Sustainable Habitat focuses on ♦♦ Promoting energy efficiency as a core component of urban planning. ♦♦ Emphasising urban waste management and recycling. ♦♦ Enforcing automotive fuel efficiency. ♦♦ Incentivising use of public transportation. ♦♦ National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP) 2008. ♦♦ Rejuvenation of River Ganga through expansion of coverage of sewerage infrastructure in 118 cities and towns on the banks of river Ganga. ♦♦ National Urban Transport Policy, 2006.

Urban housing and services

While urban housing stock has risen consistently over the decades, with the number of households, resulting in substantial reduction in the aggregate deficit, the relative housing shortage is quite large.

The technical committee has estimated a shortage of 18.78 million units reflecting the disconnect between what is produced and what is demanded. Nearly 40% of urban households do not have income levels to purchase an affordable housing unit due to high cost of urban lands and construction.

However, several steps have been taken for improving access to adequate housing including National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy 2007 and Housing for All Mission Programme.

The Prime Minister in his UN Speech said, “We are focusing on the basics: housing, power, water and sanitation for all – important not just for welfare, but also for human dignity- These are goals with a definite date, not just a mirage of hope.”

The 2015 initiative on housing for all, PMAY- via its four verticals, aims at constructing 22 million houses, mainly for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers and EWS/LIG households.

New urban agenda for transforming India

The Prime Minister while addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25th September, 2015 in the UN General Assembly spelt out the focus of India’s policies for transforming India on poverty reduction, skill development, direct transfer of benefits, insurance to all, pension to all, promotion of individual and micro enterprises, digital and mobile application, focus on housing, power, water, sanitation to all, empowerment of women and girl child development, improving service sector, smart cities, energy efficiency, afforestation, reforming transportation, cleaning up our cities and rivers, affordable clean and renewable energy, education, technology and innovation as effective global public good.

At the same time India on 2nd October, 2015 made a submission to UN Climate Summit in Paris later held in December, 2015 making commitments that included reduction in emission intensity of country’s GDP by 33-35% by 2030 from 2005 level; 40% power generation from renewable resources; carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tones by adding forest and tree cover; improving water resources, health and disaster management; efficient and cleaner technologies in thermal power generation; reducing emission from waste and transportation sector; developing climate resilient infrastructure; promoting energy efficiency in transportation, building and appliances; implementing Green India Mission; diffusion of cutting edge climate technologies and convergence of schemes.

Twenty years after HABITAT-III, by 2036 India’s urban population is expected to rise to 46%. 1/3rd of India’s housing stock at present is 40 years old. India shall have to rebuild nearly 50% of the urban housing stock mainly through monetization of land.

India’s new urban agenda shall have to focus on planned settlements through mixed land use, increase in the share of public transport and NMT for better connectivity, promote electric mobility,

increase the share of renewable sources of energy, particularly solar, smart water and energy grids, strong legislation and robust financial planning particularly for local governments for making Indian Cities more safe, resilient and sustainable.

The urban challenge of India is no doubt most daunting but HABITATIII is a rare opportunity to galvanise energy, skills and resources in addressing it. What is special about it is that the entire global community is presently engaged in the task and there is an environment for collaboration, cooperation and partnerships. India, with its new initiatives and programs for the urban sector has embarked on the urban journey with great energy, it is only appropriate that it creatively uses the big opportunity.

Habitat III

The objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable urban development, assess accomplishments to date, address poverty and identify and address new and emerging challenges.

The conference will result in a concise, focused, forward-looking and actionoriented outcome document.

It is an intergovernmental process that serves as a platform for serious dialogue on how cities, towns and villages need to be designed and administered.

Therefore, the Conference calls for and welcomes the participation and contributions of all Member States and relevant stakeholders, including parliamentarians, civil society organizations, regional and local government and municipality representatives, professionals and researchers, academia, foundations, women and youth groups, trade unions, and the private sector, as well as organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental organizations.

The need for sustainable, inclusive development has emerged over the years and the year 2015 has seen significant global movements and commitments towards the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals

and a new climate change agreement at COP21. Furthermore, the global community has recognized that cities are critical actors in the fulfillment of these global goals and for addressing climate change.

Statistics reveal that more than half of the world’s population live in urban areas, and this figure is set to increase in the coming decades. In the light of this, Sustainable Development Goal 11 highlights the need “to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. Urbanization is inextricably linked to development, as cities have been catalysts of development and growth. The New Urban Agenda that will emerge through the Habitat III Conference would serve as a blueprint for urbanization and development over the next 20 years.

As governments began to recognize the need for sustainable human settlements and the consequences of rapid urbanisation, especially in the developing world, HABITAT-I was convened by the United Nations General Assembly inVancouver in 1976 when the world urban population was only 37.9%. At that time, urbanisation and its impacts were barely considered by the international community, but the world was starting to witness the greatest and fastest migration of people into cities and towns in history as well as rising urban population through natural growth resulting from advances in medicine.

The Vancouver commitments were reconfirmed twenty years later, at the Habitat II conference in Istanbul. World leaders adopted the Habitat Agenda as a global plan of action for adequate shelter for all, with the notion of sustainable human settlements driving development in an urbanising world when the world urban population had gone up to 45.1%. As the world urban population has gone up to 54.5%, considering the transformative power of urbanisation, HABITAT-III plans to discuss the new urban agenda.

Throughout modern history, urbanization has been a major driver of development and poverty reduction.

Governments can respond to this key

development opportunity through Habitat III by promoting a new model of urban development that is able to integrate all facets of sustainable development to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity. It is time to think urban: how to mobilise the global community and focus all levels of human settlements, including small rural communities, villages, market towns, intermediate cities and metropolises for demographic and economic growth. Habitat III can help systematise the alignment between cities and towns and national planning objectives in their role as drivers of national economic and social development. Urbanization is an unprecedented challenge. By the middle of the century four of every five people might be living in towns and cities. Urbanization and development are inextricably linked and it is necessary to find a way of ensuring the sustainability of growth. Urbanization had become a driving force as well as a source of development with the power to change and improve lives. The Global context of HABITAT-III may be gauged from the fact that cities today occupy only about 2% of the total land but contribute 70% to the GDP. At the same time urban areas consume over 60% of global energy consumption, are responsible for 70% of Greenhouse Gas emissions as well as 70% of Global Waste.

“The Conference is a unique opportunity for rethinking the Urban Agenda in which governments can respond by promoting a new model of urban development able to integrate all facets of sustainable development to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity”. Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director UN-Habitat.

Habitat III Conference with its convening power is expected to bring together all actors to achieve these objectives. Solutions for the complex challenge of urbanization can only be found by bringing together Member States, multilateral organizations, local governments, private sector and civil society not only for rethinking the urban agenda but also for implementing it.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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Climate Resilience A must for Indian Cities 24 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Climate Resilience | article

Each time climate change strikes, Indian cities are caught unawares. Ironically things have not changed since the time we struggled during the Mumbai floods in 2005 to the time of the heavy rainfall in Chennai a decade later, in 2015. In fact, things have just gone worse by the years

Ranjan K Panda Convenor, Combat Climate Change Network ranjanpanda@gmail.com

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umbai floods, due to very heavy rainfall, known as one of the extreme events caused by climate change, caused an economic damage of about two billion USD. 2005 was declared the hottest year in a century and incidentally that year, ten severe urban flooding incidents were reported

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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from across the country, Mumbai’s being the worst. Half a million people were affected and about 500 people died in the event that was triggered by an unprecedented 944 mm rainfall just in 24 hours. There was a big hue and cry throughout the country. Choked drainage, disastrous urban planning, encroachment and shrinkage of water bodies, water ways and flood plains also came to the limelight for some time.

The dust settled after a few reviews and media reports. Urban spaces continued to grow the same way. Climate change however made its impacts more dangerously visible, and the frequency and intensity of these disasters have grown by the years, the latest being the Chennai floods.

From Mumbai to Chennai: A decade past, devastations just got worse

2015, that saw Chennai completely devastated by the floods, was also the hottest year in 136-year period record.

That’s one kind of a similarity with the Mumbai flooding. The Chennai deluge also had about 500 fatalities and affected almost 80 per cent of the city dwellers. Early morning on December first, most of the city was under four meters of water due to torrential rain that was the worst in a three phase period between November and December. Data by a private forecasting organization showed that Chennai recorded 1218.6 mm rainfall in November, almost three times of the average 407.4 mm it is supposed to get in that month. This was the highest November rainfall in hundred years for the city. On the first day of December, which actually started the real devastation, the city received 374 mm of rainfall, as against the average December rainfall of 191 mm. This wettest December day in history of the city wreaked unprecedented havoc.

While the Tamil Nadu government sought 8000 crore rupees for relief and restoration in the flood affected areas of the state, an association of business houses claimed the actual loss could be about 15000 crores. More than the loss and damage assessment figures

26 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

however, our cities need to relook at the very core aspect of their existence: planning. Unfortunately, our cities have got it all wrong and most importantly they don’t learn the lessons.

Climate change and factors influenced by it caused both the disasters, but humans who plan and manage our cities multiplied the impacts. The devastations were manmade. Take the Chennai case for example.

Cities and climate un-smartness

Weather experts say that the performance of the northeast monsoon, that causes heavy showers in southeastern states, is affected by several factors such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) along with the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), which are heating patterns in the Indian and Pacific oceans. The IMD had warned rightly and well in advance.

27 out of 34 districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had received 10 per cent excess rainfall between October and the first week of December. In fact, several districts registered almost double the rainfall than what they normally receive during this period.

This time, the difference was that it rained continuously without the break that it normally takes after three-four day spells. Compared to last year, Chennai received almost double the rainfall during the period October 1 and December 16.

The incessant rain on 1st December and beyond therefore brought with it a disaster for which the city planners were not at all prepared. Climate experts and scientific reports have been suggesting that coastal cities such as Chennai are most vulnerable to climate change which cause extreme events such as this. However, the city has done nothing to decongest the choked drains, water ways and flood plains. On 1st December, when the rainfall continued, the administration started to open the gates of the Chembarambakkam reservoir flushing in more water into the city. Reports say

that there was warning to release the water much earlier, when the inflow was much more than outflow from the dam, but the administration took time.

The Adyar River that was flushed with 1104 cubic meters of water per second, caused heavy flooding and that made most of the city go under meters of water for 72 hours and more.

The story of mismanagement and unpreparedness does not end here.

The city’s natural flood sinks such as marshlands and river channels have been the greatest casualty of unplanned urban expansion. Encroachment of all such flood water channels and sinks is a major problem for cities. A report submitted by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to the Madras High Court reveals that there are over one hundred fifty thousand illegal structures in the city. Despite High Court orders, the CMDA is unable to demolish these encroachments; rather it has been entangled into long and never ending legal battles. Most importantly, all three rivers of Chennai - Cooum, Adyar and Kosathalaiyar – have been heavily encroached upon as a result of which the runoff to the Bay of Bengal from these rivers is obstructed.

Urbanisation in Chennai has increased by 20 times in four decades.

And, as evident, all that has been unplanned urbanization which increases the chances and intensity of flooding in several ways. Increased area of concretisation blocks natural ways and encroaches upon water bodies thereby increasing flood occurrences and intensity. Then, sewerage and other wastes/pollutants discharged from households and industries clog natural drainage channels and storm water drains.

Dying wetlands increase flood vulnerabilities

In the entire country, wetlands and other flood cushioning natural systems are decaying fast. In urban India, the degradation is the fastest. A study points out that India has lost almost 50 per cent of the open water surface and wetlands to other land uses between 1911 and 2014. Another study of four

Climate Resilience | article

The city’s natural flood sinks such as marshlands and river channels have been the greatest casualty of unplanned urban expansion.

Encroachment of all such flood water channels and sinks is a major problem for cities. A report submitted by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to the Madras High Court reveals that there are over one hundred fifty thousand illegal structures in the city

A study points out that India has lost almost 50 per cent of the open water surface and wetlands to other land uses between 1911 and 2014. Another study of four cities – Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, points out that rapid and uncontrolled urbanization at the cost of water bodies can be considered as the root cause of urban flooding and flood related damages in the cities

Urban floods can engulf larger areas of cities due to creation of artificial catchments. More importantly, unplanned sewer lines and polluted/choked storm water drains add to the devastating impacts of urban floods

cities – Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, points out that rapid and uncontrolled urbanization at the cost of water bodies can be considered as the root cause of urban flooding and flood related damages in the cities. As more and more Indians continue to flock to urban spaces, this damage will be done faster than ever before.

Almost a third of India was living in urban areas by 2011. This is supposed to grow to 50 per cent by 2050 or even earlier. In fact, the last decade saw the major shift. Urban planning is now a major concern for the country, however it does not seem to have considered ecological concerns and climate change resilience.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in 2010 recognized urban floods’ uniqueness, different from riverine floods. Within very short periods the urban floods can engulf larger areas of cities due to creation of artificial catchments.

More importantly, unplanned sewer lines and polluted/ choked storm water drains add to the devastating impacts of urban floods.

Restoring urban ecology and most importantly the urban water bodies and river channels is most important in building climate resilience of Indian cities. The Srinagar flood damages in 2014 were majorly contributed by the loss of waterbodies in the city. That city has lost almost 50 per cent of water bodies between 1911 and 2004.

Delhi, which is often flooded due to encroachment of Yamuna flood plains and other urban planning disorders, is said to have lost 200 water bodies in a few decades. It now has 600 water bodies as against 800 earlier. Many other cities’ lakes and water bodies have met with a similar fate.

Indian cities have to take a door-die decision with regard to their water bodies and rivers. Freeing the encroached ones and restoring the existing ones is a must. Or else, they cannot prepare against growing climate events such as these floods.

A scientific study suggests that climate events such as these could double by 2080s. We can’t be callous any further.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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article | Project Learning

Historical Cultural Landscape ConservationRejuvenating Surang-Bhawi System of Bidar

V Govindankutty Assistant Professor (Geography) Government College, Chittur vgovind@outlook.com

28 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Most Indian towns and cities have a historical core covering 25 to 30 per cent of its total area. In certain cases like Bidar the historic cultural landscape having its association with natural systems covers neighbourhood villages as well. Thus an integrated approach to conserve cultural heritage and natural systems is important

I

ndian urban centres are engines of growth pushing the economy forward. Urbanisation and economic progress are coterminous processes. This is evident from the fact that, India’s urban sector contributes around 62%-63% of GDP, which is likely to increase to 75 % by 2021 as per estimates of Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. The cities becoming economic centres of growth have resulted in their rapid spatial expansion, mostly unplanned organic growth. As a consequence of increasing economic and social prosperity, natural systems have been substantially exploited, depleted and destroyed. So is the case with historic cultural resources be it tangible or intangible one along Naubad Cultural Landscape at Bidar in North Eastern Karnataka.

An important factor about Indian towns and cities is the long lineage of their cultural heritage. Most Indian towns and cities have a historical core covering 25% to 30 % of its total area. In certain cases like Bidar the historic cultural landscape having its association with natural systems covers neighbourhood villages as well. Thus an integrated approach to conserve cultural heritage and natural systems is important. Cities are here to stay, their expansion cannot be curtailed, and as demand for better infrastructure increases, space constraints will lead to acquisition of quality agricultural land in the city periphery.

The city planners, architects, engineers, urban designers or builders are in constant hunt for sites to develop affordable housing, transportation networks, waste disposal, underground drainage system, green infrastructure and 24x7drinking water system. All these have not only a specific design, space, engineering and economic requirement, but also need to meet certain biophysical constraints that must be taken into account.

However, these urban expansion and infrastructure development activities tend to damage the cultural heritage

and biophysical characteristics of land irreversibly.

The damage to the functions performed by natural systems and their fragility in the face of development is primarily due to poor planning, implementation, monitoring and management. The present planning process does not assess the land and cultural resources for their suitability for different development activities. Land and cultural resources assessment provides a scientific basis for identification and selection of most appropriate, efficient use for a particular geographical space. The Master Plan preparation for spatial expansion and new infrastructure creation in town/city needs to be looked from the perspective of incorporating assessment tools for land and cultural resources.

This is where our historic cities score a point higher than the new cities of the present. Of course the population was smaller but the plan of the city and its services was sustainable. Bidar was considered a strategic location, from two perspectives, one being on high ground it was secure from any enemy incursions and two, the availability of good sweet potable water.

These two primary reasons, over and above the connectivity it had within and outside the region, were responsible for the development of Bidar. These reasons lead to the shifting of the Bahmani capital from Gulbarga to Bidar.

Bidar Town and the neighbourhood have been planned with water as the central theme. This isbeing altered to suit short-term needs of the society and is promoting unplanned organic growth.One of the major reasons is the existing gaps in protection mechanisms and manipulation ofthese gaps to suit short term needs without ascertaining the impact in the long run, leave alone the other urban problems like solid and liquid waste management, water supply and mobility and their impact.

The existing protection to the cultural and natural systems under

certain policies, acts and laws of local, state and central government, along with conservation plans need to beintegrated with urbanexpansion, planning or the Master Plan. The Karez system in Bidar stands testimony to the way urban expansion, related organicgrowth and lack of awareness can destroy one of the most sustainable ways of groundwaterextraction and use.

What is Karez?

Scientifically, Karez is a sub-surface aqueduct or tunnel that cuts the water table and hasmany vertical shafts or Air Vents connecting to the surface. In Bidar the Karez system is locally known as “Surang-Bawi System” meaning a tunnel connecting many wells. It normally runs from a higher elevation to a place with lesser elevation. The first shaft that is sunk in higher elevation at source point of water is called ‘Mother Well’. The underground tunnel oraqueduct can run several kilometres to open at lower elevation.

The opening of the Karez is called ‘Karez Mouth’. The tunnel section is referred to as ‘Karez Gallery’. A General cross-section of Karez given in figure 1, illustrates its various sections. The Karez gallery cuts the water table and allows groundwater to get accumulated and carried down slope. Though there is distribution mechanism developed at Karez mouth, the air vents are also used as openwells for extraction of water.

Karez systems of Bidar

Bidar is a historic city having a history of more than 700 years. It has been declared as one of the heritage cities of Karnataka State. Very recently, Bidar has been listed underWorld Heritage Watch List by World Monument Fund.

The Historical or cultural landscape in Bidar is very closely associated with the natural resources of the region.

The Karez systems are one of the best examples for this. The Karez systems were the lifeline of Bidar’s historical period providing water for various purposes within and outside the fort enclosures. The Karez systems in Bidar

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29

article | Project Learning

Karez is an environmentally sustainable engineering solution reflecting the ingenuity of people living in dried or water stressed regions of the world

The Karez systems are unique and showcase the ingenious methodology and technique inidentifying the water rich areas, harnessing it and transporting to water scarcity areas.

The building of a Karez system was laborious and a risky job with no aid of modern technology, maintaining the direction of tunnel digging, endangering oneself with pockets of harmful gases in the earth’s cavities and possible collapse of weathered material

are still functional, being used for irrigation and potable water.

Bidar has three Karez systems.

In geophysical terms all three are functional, but used partiallydue to poor or no maintenance, lack of knowledge, blockages due to collapse in gallery and inappropriate interventions. The City of Bidar has been planned with these veins of waterstretching from one corner to another, providing sweet potable water to its citizens.

Any new project like developing a new settlement depends on the availability of water. Before, anew settlement is developed, water service network like Karez is built. Naubad Karez System stands testimony to this, unlike our present day processes.

Naubad Karez system

Naubad Karez System was rediscovered during August 2012 and interpreted as a Karez system by the author, which till then people believed was a sort of escape route. The geophysical studies arebeing carried out by the author as part of his PhD research work.

It is believed that during the Bahmani period there was a scheme for developing a village at Naubad as mentioned by Gulam Yazdani, in his book “Bidar-Its History and

30 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Monuments”. As their normal practice, they wanted to ensure that Naubadhad adequate water supply before initiating the development of the settlement. The ruling class may have employedPersian engineers or local water diviners for exploring water sources. The Bidar lateritic plateau overlying basaltic Deccan trap provides conditions for developing the Karez System.

Persian engineers may have considered exploiting the ground water by digging a series ofwells and interconnecting them with subterranean tunnel, called Karez. The construction of Karez was laboriously done on the laterite plateau. The hard laterite provided ideal conditionsfor cutting through vertically and horizontally. The main purpose of air vents was removal of debris, air circulation in gallery and easy access for maintenance.

The air vents on the Naubad Karez are approximately at every 50 meters.

These air vents orvertical shafts are 15 to 19 metres deep from the surface of laterite plateau. Earlier recordings made by Gulam Yazdani indicate the existence of 21 vertical shafts. But, this is not true. Research and exploration reveals that there are more air vents including the branch gallery, identified during the geophysical survey. Naubad Karez has 55 Air Vents, including itsbranches; this is being authenticated through restoration process initiated by districtadministration. Some of the vertical shafts are provided with parapet and masonry lining toreduce run-off damage to vents. Lack of maintenance, thick vegetation growth, and run-offerosion has led to collapse of these parapets.

The gallery is more than 2.56 km in length including the branch. This is the aerial distance though thelength of the subterranean gallery is longer, as it zigzags through the local geology.

The galleryfloor is very gently sloping towards the mouth of Karez. Gallery is wide with average width ofone meter.

In certain areas, due to collapse of roof and side walls, the gallery has widened.

Thewide gallery also is testimony of healthy water flow. Average height of

gallery is 6ft. (original) and increases to 10 to 12 ft. in certain areas where roof collapse has occurred. The width doesdecrease as we move towards the mother well side mainly due to softer geology. At frequent intervals, as one enters each vent through the gallery, Bahamani pointed arch has been carvedinto the laterite as signature of the times.

Groundwater recharging structure

The runoff from the surrounding area was collected for ground water recharging. Anembankment with a reservoir area of 1.34sq km (approx.) was built by engineers to ensure 24x7 functioning of the Karez system. The embankment is constructed fully using traditional technology and locally available construction material. One of the branches of Karez system starts at the embankment or probably under the reservoir area making it Qanat –e-Saddi. Qanat-e-Saddi refers to those Karez systems which are fed by reservoir as well. This ensured continuous recharging of Karez gallery and kept it perennial. Several wells were alsodug at strategic locations to monitor the groundwater. Some of these wells though indilapidated condition, have survived to this age. Of these wells, a few are step wells.

Most of the step wells in Bidar are of historic times, they served multiple purposes. They were initially dug for extracting laterite stone blocks, common construction material inthese parts. These laterite quarries were dug below water table and thus served as major water points for city dwellers.

They are also important from the perspective of recharging groundwater and maintaining high water table.

There are several examples of rainwater harvesting within the public and royal enclosures of Bidar Fort. The most prominent being the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and Tarkash Mahal.

The water from Mahmud Gawan Madrasa recharges the Jamna Mori Karez system and the water from Tarkash Mahal area was probably used for fountains and gardens.

Rejuvenating the Naubad Karez

Based on the research done by author and inputs provided by him, the Bidar District Administration initiated the revival project on 22nd May 2015. Water diviner and Surangam practitioner form Kasaragod, Kerala, Shri. Kunjambu initiated the cleaning process of Karezsystem. Kunjambu trained the local labour in cleaning the Karez gallery by maintaining the 1/1000 slope for gentle flow of water.

This being important and any change in slope would have led to erosion and gully formations in Karez gallery. The cleaning process isbeing carried out manually like in the bygone era when it was constructed. A few things that have changed are the use of electricity inside the gallery for lighting and cranes being used to pullout the debris.

On September 15, 2015 a miracle happened. The Naubad Karez started functioning with a rateof flow of 70 litres per minute. This was the moment of truth for the author who has beenvouching to clean up the system for nearly two years since August 2012.

Two weeks ofheavy rains had resulted in rise in water table above the gallery level. The section that yielded water was from Karez mouth to vent 9, which is one the highest parts of Bidar, hence water table is much lower than the location of Naubad embankment and mother well. As such thissection is not the water yielding section for the Karez but it proves another point that ifappropriate methods are adopted over ground the water can be retained in soil for longertime. The cleaning of gallery and excavation of closed vents are in progress. As of now, halfa kilometre of the gallery is fully accessible from the mouth. It may take another 6 to 8months for fully clearing the debris.

The cleaning of Karez gallery is not quite enough to ensure sustainability; it needs a landscape level conservation approach. The watersheds, stream line and groundwater recharging zonesalso need to be protected from the organic unplanned growth of the city. The author is working toward developing a comprehensive conservation plan

not just to protect the Karez system but to ensure its sustainability and availability of good groundwater to the localcommunity.

will help in conserving ecologically sensitive areas, which is a necessity dueto changing climatic conditions.

Role of Karez sustainable development

The Karez systems are unique and showcase the ingenious methodology and technique inidentifying the water rich areas, harnessing it and transporting to water scarcity areas. The building of a Karez system was laborious and a risky job with no aid of modern technology, maintaining the direction of tunnel digging, endangering oneself with pockets of harmful gases in the earth’s cavities and possible collapse of weathered material. Hence it is of utmost importance to conserve such systems to provide learning experience for the present and future generations on how keenly our predecessors took care of natural resources.

Conservation is also important from the perspective of its design value of a traditional system of water resource harvesting, both ground as well as surface water. The Naubad Karez can be revived to provide its immediate neighbourhood with 24x7 water supply and can be showcased as a live water museum for learning about sustainable use of water. Conservation, rehabilitation and restoration is a complicated sequence of activities which cannot be done without having appropriate data about the structure, proper standards and guidelines, protection mechanisms, action plans, etc. The ongoing research is working towards developing this.

Another fact that needs to be highlighted here is that the present methodologies followed for urban expansion need to undergo proper assessment before being adopted for development activities. The assessment has to check both natural and cultural resources which are usefulfor social and economic development of the community. Taking a cue from the statement of Mao Zedong ‘We should make the old serve the new’, let us look at the historical places / heritage structures / cultural landscape as resources that canwork for enriching local communities.

Culture is the reflection of human thoughts, desires, needs, interaction, adaptation, to anenvironment. It is the engine of human community. Karez is an environmentally sustainable engineering solution reflecting the ingenuity of people living in dried or water stressed regions of the world.

Bidar became an ideal location from both, the military perspective and liveability due to the geographical characteristics of its location. The availability of water and prospect of developing Karez ensured potable water for people of the city even when under siege. The ingenuity of the Karez technology reflects the constructive adaptation of humans to an environment. The Bidar city planning is influenced by the Karez system and the distribution channels.

Karez is a technology that does deplete the aquifer unlike the modern day pumping systemsor bore wells.

Karez gallery collects the natural flow of water from the saturated aquifer and transfers along the gallery, ensuring availability of good potable water to people throughout the year. But, the demand for water and increased cultivation of wet crops and unsustainable means employed in agriculture and water management has led to great depletion of groundwater.

The solution for this was well built during the historic period in the form of the Naubad Embankment which ensures that rainwater and runoff collection recharge the ground water.

The filled reservoir behind the embankment will have water till summer months thus ensuring higher groundwater table. The Karez rejuvenation and historical cultural landscape conservation will also pave the way for arenewed methodology to look at urban development process.

This new methodology being developed

Conclusion

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

31

Feature | Smart Cities Mission

Survival

of the fittest Ministry of Urban Development will announce the winners of Smart City Competition in January 2016.

The 20 winner-cities will get funding from the government under the Smart City Mission. The other 80 cities will be selected in the following two years

Team Urban Update

32 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

S

mart City Plans for selected cities received in the Ministry of Urban Development have thrown up a variety of vision statements ranging from becoming clean and green to being a multi-functional tribal hub.

97 cities out of the 98 included in the Smart City Mission have submitted Smart City Plans to the Ministry of Urban Development. A total of 85 cities had done so by the stipulated deadline of December 15. Tamil Nadu was given an extension because of the massive floods in the State.

The smart cities aspirants had been chosen through an intra-state competition. Each state and Union Territory evaluated all the urban

local bodies in the respective states and Union territories, based on existing service levels, financial and institutional capacities and past track record and reforms and nominated the top scorers, as per the slots given to each state and UT. The Telananga government had not submitted the plan as it wanted to replace Hyderabad by another city, while Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are still to nominate one city each for inclusion in the Smart City Mission.

City Challenge Competition

The Ministry of Urban Development has already set in motion the process of evaluation of city level Smart City Plans by setting up three teams of two experts

each and the Plans received have been referred to them for evaluation in the second stage of City Challenge competition.According to the Ministry, the results will be announced shortly marking a high point in promoting competition among cities for resource allocation, the first of its kind.

In the second stage of the city challenge competition, all smart city plans received by the Urban Development ministry will be evaluated, based on a set of six broad criteria. Under this, proposals will be evaluated based on Implementation Framework (30% weightage), Result Orientation (20%), Citizen Participation (16%), Smartness of Pan City Solutions (10%), Strategy based on SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,

Highlights ♦♦ Smart city plans will be implemented by a special purpose vehicle to be set up for each identified city. States/UTs and Urban local bodies will have 50:50 equity in SPV ♦♦ Under the Smart cities and the Atal Missions, about 80 per cent of the country’s urban population would be covered with the objective of enhancing the quality of life ♦♦ More than a dozen leading countries have expressed keen interest to be associated with this mission. These include the US, UK, France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, China, Singapore, Israel and Australia ♦♦ The smart cities mission seeks to ensure basic infrastructure services to enable a decent quality of life in urban pockets, a clean and sustainable environment, adoption of smart solutions and providing more public spaces to the poor ♦♦ Most of the cities aspire to be clean and green; others to leverage heritage and other unique features ♦♦ Stimulating economic development and inclusivity is a common aim ♦♦ Over 15 lakh citizens contribute to Smart City Plans using ‘MyGov.in’

Opportunities and Threats) analysis of city (10%), City Vision and Goals (5%), Quality of city profiling including identification of Key Performance Indicators (5%) and Processes followed (4%). The top scoring 20 cities in the first round of competition in the second stage will be chosen for financing during this financial year. The remaining will be asked to address the deficiencies identified before participating in the second and the third rounds of competition.

Forty cities each will be identified for financing during the second and third rounds. Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have the maximum number of 12 cities under the list followed by Maharashtra with 10, Madhya Pradesh with 7, Karnataka and Gujarat with 6 each, Rajasthan with 4, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab with 3 each. Eight smart city nominees have a population of one lakh and below, while 35 cities and towns have between one and five lakh. There are 21 cities, with a population ranging between five and ten lakh, 28 cities above ten lakh and below twenty five lakh. Five cities are in the population range of twenty five to fifty lakh.

Four cities—Chennai, Greater Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Greater Mumbai-have population of above 50 lakh. Population statistics suggest that 64 towns and cities are in the category of small to medium, while the remaining 34 are large ones. Nine capital citiesItanagar, Patna, Shimla, Bengaluru, Daman, Thiruvananthapuram, Puducherry, Gangtok and Kolkata could not be nominated. Names were finalized after a competitive selection process taking into consideration all parameters including job opportunities and enhanced economic activities.

‘Smart’ Vision

A perusal of Smart City Plans revealed that many cities have aimed at emerging as clean, green and sustainable cities.

While as many as nine cities are seeking to leverage rich cultural heritage legacy for stimulating development, 8 cities are stating economic growth

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33

Feature | Smart Cities Mission

and development upfront as the core of their vision and the rest are seeking to emerge as tourism hubs, port cities, education and health hubs, industrial and institutional centres, etc., taking advantage of unique features and strengths of the respective cities.

Promoting economic development, improving quality of life and enabling inclusive urbanization is mentioned as part of the vision by most of the cities.As required under the Mission Guidelines, each of the Mission Cities has formulated City Vision Statement based on citizen consultations.

The enthusiasm about Smart City Plans under preparation resulted in huge citizen participation with over 15 lakh citizens from urban areas contributing to the same with their views and suggestions using ‘MyGov. in’. 15,01,417 citizens posted their comments, views and suggestions besides voting in response to various proposals of cities included in the Smart City Mission. Many cities have solicited citizen participation in the preparation of Smart City Plans since September this year using the MyGov. in platform. Citizen participation has a weightage of 16% in the evaluation of Smart City Plans in the second stage of ‘City Challenge Competition’.

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in its vision statement aimed to emerge as the global bench mark for a capital city. Aligarh (UP) envisaged becoming an economically vibrant, environment-friendly smart city while conserving heritage and culture, by promoting communal harmony and sustainable urban infrastructure.

Dahod (Gujarat) sought to emerge as a dynamic Dahod and a multifunctional activity hub for tribals.

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) seeks to be a healthy metropolis while Warangal in neighbouring Telangana is keen to emerge as a vibrant regional economic hub besides being clean and green. Lucknow’s vision sees itself as a clean, green and efficient citizen centric city with a modern economy and outlook anchored in its tradition, heritage and culture with better quality of life.

34 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Vision statements of a few cities Arunachal Pradesh Pasighat: A well-managed clean, green,

environment friendly city with a character of its own defined by scenic beauty, intellectual and an inclusive capital.

Andhra Pradesh Kakinada: To transform from

Pensioners’ Paradise to economic destination Tirupati: A right place to live, work and visit with a high quality core infrastructure in an inclusive manner, to convert the holy city into a smart city.

Vizag: Aspires to be a healthy metropolis Bihar Biharsharif: To emerge as a tourism

gateway Chandigarh

Seeks to be an ideal city which is innovative, distinct and dynamic, economically vibrant, accessible and livable.

Chhattisgarh Raipur: Strengthening city’s physical

infrastructure with advanced technologies and ICT to make it a liveable and sustainable city Bilaspur: To be the cultural capital.

Goa Panaji: To be transformed into a world

class, environmentally sustainable and inclusive city while preserving its heritage, cultural diversity and ecosystems through innovation and smart solutions.

Gujarat Gandhinagar: An institutional hub

with diversified economic base that provides equitable setting for all to live and work with better quality of life and infrastructure.

Rajkot: To become a sustainable, modern, affordable, resilient and technology driven smart city.

Surat: Providing equal access to best quality physical and social infrastructure and efficient mobility through state-of-the-art technology.

Vadodara: To be a sustainable and clean city with an efficient, sophisticated, skilled and people centric administration offering best quality services to its citizens.

Haryana Faridabad: To transform cities in

order to promote sustainability, improve quality of life, meet citizen’s expectations and attract new businesses & investments Karnal: To become economically flourishing while embedded in culture and history.

Himachal Pradesh Dharamshala: To be a smart,

sustainable and resilient city with a global imprint and enhanced quality of life for its residents.

Jharkhand Ranchi: To develop as an industrial

centre through inclusive growth practices to enhance quality of life by adopting smart and sustainable methodology.

Karnataka Mangaluru: To be a clean and green

port city, nurtured by a vibrant community and educated and industrious citizens with pluralistic cultural heritage and health care services, using eco-friendly technologies for affordable, safe and quality urban life.

Davanagere: Aspires to be a city where LIFE nestles. L-Livable, convenient and safe; I-Inclusive; F-Financially vibrant and futuristic; E-Edutainment, Economic prosperity and Environment friendly.

Hubbali-Dharwad: To be the growth engine of North Karnataka by unlocking city’s potential and leveraging locational advantage and human resources.

Belagavi: A livable, inclusive and

Kota: To ensure high quality life

vibrant city with access for all citizens to good quality and affordable physical and social infrastructure and employment opportunities.

through creation of inclusive social and economic opportunities, enabled by infrastructure and governance.

Udaipur: To be the ‘Eternal Udaipur’ and world’s favourite lakeside heritage city.

Madhya Pradesh Indore: To enter an era of rejuvenation

by invigorating city’s rich cultural and economic heritage and innovation in spatially restructured and sustainable urban development, mobility, environment, infrastructure, governance and citizen services for better living.

Maharashtra Kalyan–Dombivli: To facilitate a

convenient living habitat for its citizens with excellent transit facilities and enable easy access to other parts of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Odisha Bhubaneswar: To promote responsible

governance through participatory decision-making and open access to information and technology.

Rourkela: To develop as an industrial centre through inclusive growth practices to enhance quality of life of the people by adopting smart and sustainable methodology.

Puducherry Oulgaret: To emerge as the most

preferred tourism and green industry smart city evolved on the concept of ‘work-live-learn-play’ environment.

Punjab Amritsar: To be a vibrant heritage city

with world class and eco-friendly infrastructure leading to enhanced economic growth through responsive resource management making it a clean and green city.

Ludhiana: Aspires to become the Bicycle Capital of the country Rajasthan Jaipur: Aspires to leverage its heritage

and tourism, through innovative and inclusive solutions, to enhance the quality of life.

Tamil Nadu Tiruppur: To be the textile and apparel smart city where enterprise and social collaboration thrive helping its people live, learn and work better by using leading technologies.

Thoothukudi: Most preferred port

based and industrial smart city evolved on the concept of ‘work-learn-live-play’ environment.

Tiruchirapalli: To be the transportation hub of Tamil Nadu with state-of-art infrastructure, enhanced inter and intra city connectivity and better quality of life.

Uttarakhand Dehradun: To establish the city as eco-

friendly knowledge hub of the region, infusing technology for providing timely and accurate information to citizens and authorities for decision making and improving the ease of doing business for promoting tourism.

Uttar Pradesh Agra: To further consolidate as a world

class heritage city with increased economic opportunities for all citizens.

Bareilly: To be an economically vibrant city with high public safety, clean environment and eco-friendly mobility.

Kanpur: To enhance the identity of the city and provide better quality of life through governance, social, spatial, economic and environmental impacts.

Lucknow: To be clean, green and efficient West Bengal Bidhannagar: Clean, green, safe,

socially embracing, livable and progressive city attracting new age service professionals.

Durgapur: To be clean, green and smart Durgapur.

Haldia: To be the sustainable and smart port city. A city to enjoy and grow.

Way Forward

The Central government proposes to give financial support to the extent of Rs 48,000 crore over five years. The chosen smarty city will be given Rs 100 crore per year over the next five years.

Accordingly, the Central government has made a provision of Rs 48,000 crore for the next five years for the smart cities mission. The States/UTs and Urban local bodies have to make an equal matching contribution. This in effect means that Central and state governments and ULBs will invest about Rs 1 lakh crore over the next five years for making 100 chosen cities smart.

It will be implemented through an area based approach consisting of retrofitting, re-development, Greenfield development and pan city initiatives. The smart city initiative planners have listed some core infrastructure services like adequate and clean water supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing for the poor, reliable power supply, robust IT connectivity, governance, especiallygovernance, security and safety of inhabitants, well developed health, education services besides sustainable urban development.

The Mission, inter alia aims at achieving urban reforms such as e-governance, building of professional municipal cadre, devolving funds and functions to urban local bodies, review of building bye laws, improvement in assessment and collection of municipal taxes, credit rating of urban local bodies, energy and water audit and citizen centric urban planning.

M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development, said: “The Ball is now in the court of states & urban local bodies to take full advantage of this enthusiasm by being appropriately pro-active.

The next 10 years are‘Very crucial’ for rewriting our urban landscape . We can’t afford to miss this opportunity. It is like perform or perish for the states & urban bodies. The clock has begun to tick.”

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

35

NEWSCAN Event | Conference of Parties 21

Cities to play a crucial role post COP21 Countries around the world reached a landmark accord in Paris, setting the course for a historic transformation of the world’s fossil fuel-driven economy within decades in a bid to arrest global warming Team UrbanUpdate

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (second left), UNFCCC’s Christiana Figueres (left), French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and President of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21), and President François Hollande of France (right), celebrate historic adoption of Paris Agreement

Paris: As many as 195 countries reached a deal in December to save the earth from catastrophic climate change that threatens to bring about a mass extinction of species, including human beings. The deal has been termed historic because this is the first time there has been a near consensus in reaching an agreement over the grave environment challenge facing all nations equally.

However, there are criticisms that the deal will put pressure on countries like India and that developed nations like the US have not taken enough responsibility in dealing with the issue.

195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

36 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

(UNFCCC) pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience and joined to take common climate action. This followed two weeks of negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21).

Following the adoption of the new Paris Agreement on climate change, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said government representatives made history. “The Paris Agreement is a monumental triumph for people and our planet,” said Ban in a tweet, immediately following its adoption. “It sets the stage for progress in ending poverty, strengthening peace and ensuring a life of dignity and opportunity for all.”

In a speech at the opening of the COP21 Climate Conference in Paris, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country would add 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022 and enlarge its forest cover as he called on developed nations to fulfill their responsibility to make clean energy affordable and available to the developing world.

“The principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities must remain the bedrock of our collective enterprise across all areasmitigation, adaptation and means for implementation,” Modi said. “Anything else would be morally wrong.”

It is important to mention that India

NEWSCAN

The principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities must remain the bedrock of our collective enterprise across all areas- mitigation, adaptation and means for implementation. Anything else would be morally wrong

The groundbreaking agreement on climate action – together with the commitments made by cities and businesses around the world – sets the world on a new and hopeful pathway

Your efforts enable your citizens to reduce their carbon footprint, breathe cleaner air and live more healthy lives. You know, from the ground up, how important it is to translate words into action.

Your example can inspire national governments to act more boldly

Narendra Modi Indian Prime Minister

Michael Bloomberg UN Special Envoy for Cities & Climate Change

Ban Ki-moon United Nations Secretary-General told Mayors

is among the 20 countries, including the U.S., Canada and China, that have pledged to double their investments in clean-energy research and development during the next five years.

The Paris Agreement and the outcomes of COP21 cover all the crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion: mitigation – reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal; a transparency system and global stocktake – accounting for climate action; adaptation – strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts; loss and damage – strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts; and support – including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures.

In addition, a review mechanism has been established whereby every five years, beginning in 2018, parties will regularly review what is needed in line with science.

Role of cities

The New Climate Economy report Better Growth, Better Climate says that urban areas are responsible for maximum global greenhouse gas

(GHG) emissions. Tokyo, for instance, emits as much as 62 million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year, which accounts to the equivalent of the 37 least polluting countries in Africa.Their transition to a greener economy is also an economic necessity.

If the world keeps a business-as-usual high-carbon economy, about 90 trillion dollars, or an average of six trillion a year, will be invested in infrastructure in the world’s cities, agriculture and energy systems over the next 15 years.”

But the report adds that only around 270 billion dollars a year would be needed to accelerate the global transition to a low-carbon economy, through clean energy, more compact cities, better public transport systems and smarter land use.

“COP21 is the first time that cities will have their voices fully recognized at a global UN conference on climate change and the first time mayors are gathering in great numbers to demand bold action,” said UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael Bloomberg during the Cities for Change, a parallel event in Paris.

The conference comes at a crucial

moment. Earlier this year, Paris suffered from haze masking city’s landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and this week Beijing raised a ‘red alert’ warning over smog and the city has gone on a shutdown to protect its people, so mayors and city planners are moving fast.

Blooomberg added that the groundbreaking agreement on climate action – together with the commitments made by cities and businesses around the world – sets the world on a new and hopeful pathway.

The agreement not only unites all nations in the battle against climate change, it also sends a clear signal to markets about the direction of government policy, which will help spur greater private sector investment in low-carbon technology.”

Ralph Becker, Mayor of Salt Lake City, said, “Supporting a global climate agreement is critically important for cities around the world. Salt Lake City is aggressively preparing for future climate challenges, to be a resilient community with a high quality of life.

This work is vitally important, and must be supported by both national and international action.”

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

37

NEWSCAN

Japan to fund bullet train project between Mumbai-Ahmedabad

Delhi: A Rs 98,000-crore project to lay India’s first bullet train network between commercial nerve centre of Mumbai and Ahmedabad was finalised at the annual summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. India and Japan have signed an MoU on 12th December, 2015 on cooperation and assistance in the Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project (referred by many as Bullet Train project). The two countries have also entered into two comprehensive technological cooperation agreements on 11th December 2015, for modernization and upgradation of Indian Railways. These agreements were signed during the official visit to India of Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, during December 11 – 13, 2015.

“No less historic is our decision to introduce High Speed Rail on the

38 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector through Japan’s Shinkansen, known for its speed, reliability and safety,” Modi said at a joint media event with Abe. The bullet train network linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad will cut travel time on the 505-kilometre route from eight hours to around three.

Japan has offered an assistance of over Rs 79,000 crore for the project.

The loan is for a period of 50 years with a moratorium of 15 years, at an interest rate of 0.1 per cent. The project is a 508 Kilometer railway line costing a total of Rs. 97,636 crore, to be implemented in a period of seven years. It has been agreed that Shinkansen Technology will be adopted for the project. The cooperation of Japan will be fixed on transfer of technology and Make in India. Japan will assist India in training of personnel for HSR. It is to be noted that Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had wide-

ranging discussions on various aspects of railways - covering modernization, safety and technology upgradation of Indian Railways - during his visit to Japan in September 2015.

He held discussions with the concerned Ministers of Japan and met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On the investment requirements of Indian Railways, he had discussions with leading financial institutions and investment bankers and explained to them the 5 year USD 140 billion investment plan of Indian Railways.

He had discussions with Pension Funds as well, to seek their investments in the Railways.

Another focus was the Technology upgradation of Indian Railways through cooperation of Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO) of India and the Japan Railway Technical Research Institute (JRTRI), both key railway research organizations.

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www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

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UP proposes to invest Rs 3,287 cr in basic urban infra under AMRUT Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Government seeks to invest Rs 3,287 cr for improving water supply and sewerage network services and provision of green spaces and parks in 60 cities under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Action Plan for 2015-16, submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development.

Out of this, Rs 1,519 cr is to be spent on water supply schemes in 60 mission cities, Rs 1,698 cr on sewerage projects in 24 cities and Rs 70 cr on providing open spaces in 58 cities.

In the State Annual Action Plan for 2015-16 under Atal Mission, the state government has reported better availability of basic infrastructure services than the national average for urban areas. Average water supply in these 60 mission cities is reported to be 161 litres per capita per day as against the national average of 70 lpcd for urban areas in the country.

Coverage of urban households with water taps is 54% while it is 50% for the country. 87% of households in these 60 cities are said to be having individual household toilets as against 69% for urban India. Sewerage network services are available to the extent of 34% while it is at a low of 12% for the country.

Under SAAP for 2015-16, the state government has proposed an investment of Rs 352 cr in Ghaziabad to further augment water supply (Rs 45 cr) and sewerage network services(Rs 307 cr), the highest among all 60 mission cities. This if followed

by Rs 305 cr for Lucknow, Rs 223 cr for Jhansi, Rs 200 cr for Kanpur, Rs 190 cr for Allahabad, Rs 180 cr each for Varanasi and Modinagar, Rs 140 cr for Mirzapur, Rs 125 cr for Meerut, Rs 109 cr for Moradabad, Rs 107 cr for

40 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

AMRUT Cities to ensure 100 per cent coverage of water supply by 2019-20

Bulandshahar, Rs 98 cr for Ghazipur, Rs 80 cr for Shahranpur and Rs 65 cr for Raibareilly.

The extent of coverage of households with water taps in the mission cities is to the extent of 54% and projects will be taken up to ensure 100% coverage by 2019-20. The state government proposed to reduce NonRevenue Water (NRW-extent of water being supplied without collecting user charges) to the norm of 20% as NRW in the mission cities is in the

range of 21% in Aligarh to a high of 65% in Meerut.

Focus will also be on expanding sewerage network services since at present no such services are available in 20 mission cities and in the rest it is in the range of 0.05% in Etawah to 94% in Mainpuri. Situation in this regard is better in 14 Municipal corporations. Under Atal Mission, priority is given for universal coverage of urban households with water supply and sewerage connections

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Maharashtra to set up solar power plants to pump water Maharashtra Government, in an innovate measure has proposed setting up of solar power systems as an integral part of water supply projects to be taken up under AMRUT. A proposal in this regard was made in the State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) for 2015-16 presented before the inter-ministerial Apex Committee for AMRUT chaired

by Urban Development Secretary Madhusudhan Prasad.

Officials of the Maharashtra Government explained to the Apex Committee that using solar powered pumps for operating pumping stations would enhance financial sustainability of water supply projects proposed to be taken up by the state government under Atal Mission. Representative of Department of Expenditure supported this proposal. The Apex Committee accorded in principle approval to the proposal and directed the state government to undertake detailed cost-benefit analysis before proceeding further in the matter. Maharashtra is the first state to make such a proposal. Apex Committee has earlier approved SAAP for 13 states.

besides ensuring water supply @ 135 lpcd.

Central Government has made a provision of Rs 50,000 cr for assisting the states to the extent of 50% of project costs in cities with a population of below 10 lakhs each and one third of the cost if the population is above 10 lakhs each. Rest has to be matched by states and urban local bodies.

Out of the 60 mission cities, 7 cities viz., Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad,

Agra, Meerut, Varanasi and Allahabad have a population of above 10 lakhs each. 45 towns have a population in the range of one to five lakhs with Kasganj having the lowest population of 1,01,241.

The state government has reported that urban population in Uttar Pradesh has increased from 190 lakhs (excluding that of present Uttarakhand) in 1981 to 445 lakhs in 2011, now accounting for 12% of country’s urban population.

AMC organises India’s first Smart City hackathon Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Code for India (CFI), an NGO, jointly organised ‘Ahmedabad Smart City Hackathon 2015’ on December 26 and 27.

Ramyakumar Bhatt, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, said, “Hackathon is an event where teams of software experts gather to create software based on subjects decided well in advance.

Such events are popular in technologically advanced cities like San Francisco, New York, Barcelona, Houston, etc. The Ahmedabad Smart City Hackathon 2015, will be on similar lines.”

A total of 20 teams had participated in which 93 coders put in over 2,300 man hours to complete the applications in 24 hours. To solve real world problems with unique ideas and solutions, Code For India invited professional developers, students and tech-savvy people to take part in this event. However, the Government also extended its support and open its API’s for developers to make use of the Government Data and develop highly advanced technical solutions. It was for the first time that the coders were able to access API and live data collected by AMC. Five teams under different categories such as Epidemic Prediction, Smart Transit, Women Safety, Recycling and E-connect were declared winners for providing out of the box solutions.

Winners will get a chance to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 30.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

41

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No CCTV, no Occupancy Certificate: Civic bodies tell developers Thane: The Thane Municipal Corporation and Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation have made it mandatory for developers to install CCTVs at their housing and business projects in order to acquire Occupancy Certificate (OC). The Thane police department has proposed the move to enhance the security cover for such projects. Lately, the need for the third eye has become an important aspect to curb crime rate in the region.

As new projects of business and housing are coming up in several areas of Thane, Kalyan and Dombivli, the move will increase the security cover in the city. Developers need to install cameras before acquiring the adequate clearances from the civic bodies for their projects.

However, a few builders feel that this obligation will enhance the cost of the project.

“Keeping a person to monitor the cameras and installing them as per the project size means increase in project cost. At times, home buyers don’t give importance to this facility and pick other amenities,” said a builder from Thane. “The move to enhance security in the housing complexes is a welcome move.

We will adhere to it, though there would be extra cost involved,” said another builder. “We conducted a meeting with senior police officials from Thane and they have proposed this move.

We are deciding on the feasibility and its implementation,” said a KDMC official. “This decision is being taken keeping in mind the smart city project. We will make it mandatory by deciding further and OC will be once requirements are met,” said Sandeep Malvi, PRO, TMC.

42 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

C40 sustainability winners offer solutions for other cities to follow Paris: Winners of this year’s C40 Cities Award have, according to the organisers, each demonstrated exceptional innovation and ambition to build low carbon and climate resilient urban communities. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose Bloomberg Philanthropies provided finance and expertise to the project, said winners were recognised for a diverse set of worldclass policies, projects or programmes.

Janeiro Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, added that as leaders from around the world meet in Paris to agree binding emission targets, the efforts of the ten award-winning cities showed that innovation drives results and concrete solutions and actions can be implemented right now. Bloomberg said, “Cities are leading by example and tonight’s winners are at the forefront of that work.” The C40 organisers received more than 200 applications from 94 cities for the 2015 awards. They were reviewed by a panel of experts in partnership with sustainability think tank and consultancy Sustainia.

C40 is a network of 78 of the world’s largest cities, dedicated to combating climate change.

This year’s winners in the ten award categories are: ♦♦ Boston (Smart Cities & Smart Community Engagement) ♦♦ Cape Town (Adaptation Implementation) ♦♦ Johannesburg (Finance & Economic Development) ♦♦ Nanjing (Transportation) ♦♦ New York (Building Energy Efficiency) ♦♦ Rotterdam (Adaptation Planning & Assessment) ♦♦ Stockholm (Sustainable Communities) ♦♦ Vancouver (Carbon Measurement & Planning) ♦♦ Washington, DC (Green Energy) ♦♦ Wuhan (Solid Waste)

HUDCO clears Rs 490 cr loan for Dehradun smart city DEHRADUN: In an attempt to expedite the process of building the proposed ‘Smart City’ in Dehradun after December 15, chief minister Harish Rawat said the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has cleared a loan of Rs 490 crore, out of the total Rs 2,200 crore sought by the Uttarakhand House Urban Development Department and Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), for the purpose for the first phase of the project.

Rawat said the remaining loan would be released for the subsequent phases

as required. Apart from clearing the Rs 490 crore loan, the Dehradun Municipal Corporation in its board meeting has also given the go ahead for the construction of the Smart City project.

Dehradun Municipal Corporation mayor Vinod Chamoli announced that all members of the corporation had okayed the state government’s plan to build the Smart City. “To begin something new, we have to lose something. This Smart city will change not only the city, but also the lives of many,” said Chamoli.

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UD Ministry’s initiative to promote use of construction & demolition waste DELHI: As part of ongoing efforts under Swachh Bharat Mission, the Union Government has now permitted substantially enhanced use of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste in construction.

In consultation with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the Ministry of Urban Development has decided to allow use of C&D Waste to the extent of 20% of coarse and fine aggregates, known as ‘bajri’ in construction of load bearing items and up to 100% for nonload bearing purposes. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has accordingly modified the existing specifications in this regard which only allowed use of natural aggregates such as those from river beds in construction.

The new provision allowing use of C&D Waste is expected to significantly help in reuse of such waste since more than 100 lakh metric tonnes of C&D Waste is being generated per year in urban areas, making its disposal in a safe and sanitary manner, a major challenge. The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra

Modi has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SINTEF, Norway and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for cooperation in the development of human resource capacity building and scientific research in the field of Recycling of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste in India.

Construction industry in India generates about 10-12 million tons of

SDMC proposes hike in property tax Delhi: Presenting the first deficit budget of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation since its inception three years ago, the commissioner of the civic body proposed a new professional tax and a minor hike in property tax to augment its revenue in the next financial year. Emphasising on exploring new avenues of income generation and cutting down expenditure, municipal commissioner Punit Kumar Goyal also proposed scrapping old-age pension to be paid by the civic body in the next financial year. Revised estimates of 2015-16 and the proposed estimates for financial year 2016-17 were presented by him, even as the SDMC said it was

44 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

the first deficit budget for it since its inception in 2012.

“In order to increase revenue several measures including professional tax imposition, increase in property tax in the range of 1-2 per cent, and implementation of Municipal Valuation Committee report for revising property taxes, are proposed for the year 201617,” he said. “Despite all these measures, the proposed budget estimates for 201617 shows a deficit of Rs 200 crore,” he said. As per the revised budget estimates for 2015-16, the revenue target of Rs 3,938.72 crore has been revised to Rs 3,316.39 crore due to revenue shortfall of around Rs 600 crore.

waste annually. There is a huge demand of aggregates in the housing and road sectors but there is significant gap in demand and supply, which can be reduced to a certain extent by recycling C&D Waste. While some of the items like bricks, tiles wood, metal, etc. are re-used and recycled, concrete and masonry, constituting about 50% of the C&D waste is not currently recycled in India.

Railways to set-up waste disposal plants New Delhi: Railways have proposed a pilot project for disposal of municipal solid waste being generated at railway terminals in an environment friendly manner, including conversion of waste to energy.

New Delhi and Jaipur Railway Stations have been identified for setting up the plants. Quantum of energy generated will depend upon the technology adopted for plant. Bio-gas or electricity are the two possible forms of energy to be generated which would be utilized for services at stations.

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CPCB calls for action plan on plastic waste

Waste Management to Create More Job Opportunities

across 60 major Indian cities. Most of that usually ends up at landfills where it leaks toxic pollutants into soil and water.

The improper collection and disposal also leads to plastic waste choking drains, making land infertile and leading to the death of livestock that consume it. A 2014 report by the UN Environmental Programme estimated financial damage of $13 billion a year by plastics to marine ecosystems. The CPCB has also asked state pollution control boards to ensure that all the illegal and unregistered factories involved in the manufacture of sub-standard (less than 40 micron thickness) carry bags shall be shut down immediately. Secretariesin-charge of municipal bodies in each state shall ensure that all municipal bodies ban stocking, selling and use of any carry bag (having handle or nonhandle) having less than 40 micron thickness plastic material. Those found stocking/selling such carry bags shall be penalized by imposing a fine of Rs.1 lakh, the CPCB said.

HYDERABAD: India will witness a significant increase in growth opportunities and investments in the field of waste management and lakhs of job opportunities will be created in this sector, Sanjay K Singh, ITC Ltd‘ divisional chief executive (paperboards & speciality papers), has said.

Delivering the theme address at the inauguration of Waste Management Summit- 2015 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Singh said, “In the days to come, with the growing need and the importance of addressing issues and concerns over waste management in a holistic manner, India will witness significant investments and increased growth opportunities in the sector. The sector will also offer millions of jobs in waste management.”

Singh, who is also the chairman of the summit, said that ensuring resource management for sustainable future was the need of the hour. It is good both for the ecology and economy, he added.

Ulhas Parlikar, deputy head of Geocycle India, emphasised the need for creating a circular economy in India. Resourceintensive industry like cement has a major role to play in reducing its environmental burden. While India ranks high in terms of electrical energy consumption, the fuel substitution rate is low at 3 pc. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) predicts that India can achieve a thermal substitution rate of 19 pc by 2030 and 25 pc by 2050, he said and called for regulation on e-waste and waste transportation.

Anoop Kumar Saxena, managing director of Kalburgi Cement Pvt Ltd (Vicat India), appealed to industry to channelise the waste generated into more effective and efficient reuse.

There is a need to create a forum for all stakeholders to work towards adopting and promoting effective waste management practices, he said.

New Delhi: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India‘s apex pollution watchdog, has directed civic bodies across the country to take immediate steps to check ecological damage from the tonnes of plastic waste being dumped in landfills.

Calling for an action plan for plastic waste management, the CPCB has told the civic bodies to check the open burning of plastic waste, restrict plastic bags of less than 40 microns thickness and start extensive mass awareness programmes. It also suggested municipalities to set up a proper plastic waste management system within six months to ensure collection, segregation and transportation for proper disposal, processing and recycling. Plastic use has seen rapid growth in the country.

Around 12 million tonnes of plastic products are consumed every year and it is expected to rise further. About 5060% of this is converted into waste.

According to a CPCB study, released in early 2015, around 3,501 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every day

Gurgaon to install household solid waste treatment plants GURGAON: Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) recently announced plans to install solid waste treatment plants in the kitchens of the city residents.

Announcing this, Satya Prakash who is also Deputy Commissioner and MCG Commissioner, said that the solid waste treatment plants were installed in five up-scale condominiums in the first phase and officials were expecting to cover every condominium in the city in the next one year or so. “The initiative has significant importance considering the fact that solid waste treatment plant situated at Bandhwari village

on Gurgaon-Faridabad expressway has been shut since June 2013. Hence the garbage generated from Gurgaon and Faridabad is dumped at the place without treatment. “The move also holds merit as solid waste management has been given 60% weightage followed by 30% for household level efforts and community toilets,” Prakash said.

The solid waste treatment units are currently underway in condominiums such as Vastu apartment in sector 55, Hamilton court in DLF phase 4, World Spa at sector 31, DLF court yard in DLF phase 5 and ANX apartments, the official added.

www.urbanupdate.in | January 2016

45

URBAN AGENDA | Sustainability

Surging ahead towards urban sustainability

E

nsuring sustainable development in existing and upcoming cities is one of the greatest challenges for urban planners and policymakers world over. What does sustainable development mean for cities? The World Environment and Development Commission came up with the concept in 1987. According to the commission,“Sustainable development is development which meets the needs of the present without endangering the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” The concept was popularized and many countries made efforts to lay the foundation for a sustainable future but the targets to achieve economic prosperity hogged the agenda of governments over sustainability.

Globalization led industrialisation and urbanisation ignored the basic requisites of ensuring sustainability in cities. After the recent launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the concept is in the spotlight once again.Cities house more than half the world’s population, consume 75 per cent of its energy and emit 80 per cent of all greenhouse gasses.

Sustainable development in cities is targeted to strike a balance between the consumption of natural resources and measures taken for a safe and healthy urban future. It requires the balance between economic, environmental, and social necessities.

India is facing serious problems related to urbanisation that include water scarcity, water and air pollution, sanitation, housing, traffic congestion and exploitation of natural resources.

In the current conditions prevailing

46 January 2016 | www.urbanupdate.in

in cities, the urban environment has suffered marked degradation. This loss of quality of life shows itself in many aspects, amongst which we might note atmospheric pollution, increase of noisy surface area, reduction of climatic comfort, spectacular rise of consumption and waste production.

Sustainable development presents various dimensions which must be taken into account in designing urban development strategies.For example: many of our cities have become uninhabitable because of the characteristics they developed over a period of time. Many of our cities have witnessed widespread decline of public space;some have become very congested and some are not inclusive.

The basic causes lie in defects of design and regulation mechanism.

The quality of cities’ air has deteriorated steadily due to increased economic activity and, above all, the rise in vehicular traffic. According to various studies, vehicular traffic in cities is the main source of atmospheric pollution, accounting for 100 per cent of concentrations of carbon monoxide and lead, 60 per cent of nitrogen oxides and 50 per cent of particles.It is evident that cities have an important role to play in ensuring a sustainable future.There has been considerable innovation by city authorities to address environmental problems. It is the appropriate time when all cities must come together and share their experiences and help each other handle issues of urbanisation and environmental degradation.

Knowledge and resource sharing among cities at local and global level can be instrumental in achieving the target withoutany trouble.

Ashok Wankhade Managing Editor bhau@urbanupdate.in

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