22.1.11

Pune's BDP hope rests on MoEF

Pune environmentalists who maintain that the city needs the Bio Diversity Parks have pinned their hopes on Union minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh. Supporters have already approached Ramesh seeking assistance to acquire the land. "The government is on a spree to convert hilltops/ hill slopes into residential areas and every citizen must speak out to protect the greenery in the city," said Aneeta Gokhale-Benninger, professor of Sustainable Development Planning.
With the World Bank willing to partner India’s green-growth agenda and extend support for biodiversity conservation, according to the Press Information Bureau, there is still hope for the biodiversity project in Pune. The India project will demonstrate conservation measures in various ecosystems, catalogue India’s rich biodiversity in hotspots, and support livelihoods of communities living within biodiversity-rich areas and enable them to benefit from investments in these areas. “The PMC can seek funds under the World Bank project. The civic body should forward the proposal to the state and union government,” said a state urban development department official. The partnership between the World Bank and the Government of India will support programmes that help the country achieve fuel-efficient transport infrastructure, clean energy hydropower plants, efficient water supply and wastewater systems, programmes that help farmers, fishing communities and people in other vulnerable communities safeguard their livelihoods. The World Bank will also strengthen the capacity of the pollution control boards and set up new monitoring and data management mechanisms. The bank has financially supported three environment management and protection projects which include Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project, Industrial Pollution Management Project and the National Ganga Project with $220 million, $65 million and $20 million respectively.
One way, as suggested by Pune’s promoters and builders, is to have corporates, individuals and NGOs be a part of the greening exercise
* Under the 74th amendment's 12th schedule, the central government can help the city develop urban forestry
* With the World Bank supporting biodiversity projects, Pune could seek funds for the proposed BDP
* As per the national action plan for climate change, prepared by the Government of India, Pune could claim funds under the JNNURM to develop the BDP.
* In 2009, responding to the PMC's appeal for suggestions to raise funds to acquire BDP land, Credai, the promoters and builders association of Pune had suggested that corporates, individuals and NGOs be asked to adopt a part of a hill and allow them advertising in prescribed form without disturbing the greenery. * They can also develop their own nature parks. Deposits taken from them could be used for acquisition. Hills could also be leased out to educational institutes as they need open spaces

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