WRI told to draft Climate Action Plan by 2023

- CAP to encourage construction of green buildings

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Feb 16: The World Resources Institute - India (WRI) has been asked to complete the Climate Action Plan (CAP), as per the guidelines of the State Government, by 2023.

A meeting of the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) and WRI to discuss drafting the plan was held at the new office of former in Kile Ark on Wednesday.

The meeting discussed myriad issues to control the growing pollution in the city through people's participation and undertake measures to reduce the impact on the city due to climate change. The members also discussed preventive measures required to be taken or to overcome during natural calamities like hailstorms, cyclones, floods or droughts.

The WRI will procure necessary information related to the city from the AMC as well as other government offices including MSEDCL, water supply, forest department and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). The AMC's additional commissioner B B Nemane, Ravindra Nikam, city engineer S D Panzade, deputy commissioner Saurabh Joshi, Aparna Thete, Santosh Tengale, Deputy Director (Town Planning) A B Deshmukh, municipal officer of health (MoH) Dr Paras Mandlecha, executive engineer B D Phad and WRI representatives Mukta Salunke and Lubaina Rangwala were present in the meeting.

The CAP will encourage the construction of green buildings with less dependency on conventional energy, encourage public transport (instead of private transport), usage of bicycles etc. The 30-year-long CAP will be prepared in four phases. In the first phase (from February to March), the WRI team will approach various government offices and obtain details on the utility of water, the population of vehicles and solid waste management. In the second phase (April to June), they will prepare maps. In the third phase (from July and August), the NGOs will be invited so as to attract public participation and in the fourth phase (September to January), the CAP will be finalised, it is said in the meeting.