Operational Guidelines on Green City Mission

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
URBAN DEVELOPMENT & MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
NAGARAYAN, DF-8, SECTOR-I
SALT LAKE, KOLKATA-700064

No: 390-T&CP/C-2/1M-18/2017 Dated: 20.02.2017

ORDER

Subject: Operational Guidelines on Green City Mission

Whereas, State Government has been considering for sometime past a comprehensive Plan of Action to meet the challenge of rapid urbanisation,

And

Whereas it has been always the priority of State Government for providing employment for urban poor, provide affordable housing for indigent section of urban populace and building environment friendly, sustainable, resilient, energy positive, IT friendly and safe cities covering all Municipal Corporations/Municipalities,

Governor is hereby pleased to introduce a project called ‘Green City Mission’ which will be implemented throughout the cities covering all Municipal Corporations/Municipal area. Following is the guideline of the referred project:

I. OBJECTIVES

(a) To meet the growing challenge of rapid urbanisation, State Government wants to build environment friendly, sustainable, liveable, energy positive, IT friendly and safe city,

(b) while emphasising on building eco friendly and sustainable city, State Government also wants to give focus on creation of jobs and building affordable housing for poor.

II. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT

The schemes under Green City Mission Project will be executed as State Government sponsored project.

III. NODAL DEPARTMENT & AGENCY

Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Department will act as Nodal Department and concerned ULBs and Development Authorities will be the implementing agencies.

IV. NATURE OF THE SCHEME

Under Green City Mission project there will be several components where ULBs/Development authorities will be able to execute any schemes which come under following categories like:

(a) Greening:

Urban afforestation, beautification of public spaces, nature-friendly parks, pocket forests, avenue plantation, hedges and green creepers as view cutters, rooftop farming, kitchen gardens, vertical gardens and floriculture/ tall tree nurseries are some examples of activities that can be taken up. The ratio of open spaces to built-up spaces may be enhanced beyond minimum norms whenever feasible. Land available with public institutions including schools/ colleges/ universities, office complexes etc may be greened in consultation with Forest Experts.

The Mission would also encourage “Blue-ing” through conservation of water-bodies, encouraging water-based recreation (boating, fishing etc) and canal/ water-front greening and beautification.

Cleaning and beautification programmes should be a priority. “Nirmal Bangla” should be implemented in letter and spirit so that there is no littering and adequate dust-bins are available in public spaces. Public Pay-and-Use toilets, for men and women, near every few bus stops and markets should be done. Control of (i) Visual pollution (hanging cables, hoardings etc) (ii) Air Pollution (dust and vehicle emissions) and (iii) Sound Pollution (unnecessary horns, microphones in silent zones) should be taken up and monitored.

While making the plans, citizens may be consulted through Ward Committees or Resident Welfare Associations to identify all possible spaces that can be covered through any or all of the above activities.

(b) Energy positive

Solar panels with net metering facilities should be installed in rooftops, canal-tops, bus-shelters and even on water-bodies on floating blocks or as sheds in car parking areas. LED lights in street lights and at all places including homes should be encouraged. All new buildings should be encouraged to be green certified. All norms laid down by ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code), State Government Policy on Renewal Energy and Building Rules insofar as they relate to energy conservation matters should be followed.

Cycle tracks and cycle stands may be made to encourage last-mile mobility in a safe manner and for this traffic control should also be made cyclist friendly. Electric vehicles including e-rickshaws should be encouraged. Pre-paid quick charge stations should be available in fuel pumps. Wastewater recycling, rainwater harvesting (“Jal Dharo Jal Bharo”), energy saving light sensors and efficient appliances should be adopted. Solid waste should be segregated and recycled and used to make RDF (Refuse Derived Fuels).

While making the energy plan, efforts should be made to adopt a clear timeline with annual reduction in net energy required out of fossil fuels so that after a certain number of years the city is zero energy or energy positive entity.

(c) Sustainable Public Transport

Public transport modes including Public Bus, Metro Rail, electric buses, e-three-wheelers, car pooling, bike taxi and public cycles sharing schemes may be adopted whenever appropriate. Bus shelter and bus stands should have real-time information on bus information including convergence with ITS (Intelligent Transportation System). To make people adopt to public transport rather than personal cars, the bus shelters may be made vibrant and passenger friendly by making flower shops, newspaper stands, tea corner and mobile charging and even free Wi Fi Hotspot near these.

Special emphasis should be given to address parking needs near commercial centres like cinema houses, markets etc in consultation with traffic police. There should be a planned parking policy and use may be made of card operated automatic boom barriers to control parking lots, optimise city revenue and give apps based information on availability of parking slots to incoming motorists.

(d) Technology efficient

A futuristic green city should have a Wi Fi backbone and free Wi Fi Hot Spots at all public parks, bus stands and important public spaces. Wi Fi services may be used for important citizen announcements including traffic and safety messages. Internet-of-Things (IoT) concepts can be used on top of Wi Fi network to enhance delivery of public services. IoT devices would focus on business revolving around wearables, smart homes, connected car appliances, security systems, vehicle safety services etc. Tele-medicine, educational support and digital literacy may also be included in the Green City Plan so that need to travel is reduced. Underground utility tunnels for wet (water pipe, waste water, storm water etc) and dry (Optical Fibre, electric cables, telephone lines etc) may be planned in Greenfield new townships. GPS tracking of compactors/ trucks and RFID sensors in vats or storages for IT enabled Solid Waste Management should be used. Intelligent modem enabled Electric Meters, SCADA controlled water supply network and city wide rainwater harvesting methods may be adopted in Green Cities.

(e) Safety and Security

A Green City must also be a space where people feel safe and secure. CCTVs would be placed on all important traffic crossings not only to ensure compliance with traffic rules but also to see that citizens, especially women are safe, through intelligent video surveillance. Emergency buttons can be located at few public spaces which, when pressed, will send a location specific message to the nearest police patrol car and police control room.

A combined Command and Control Centre for Disaster Management, both natural and man-made accidents/ terrorisms, may be set up by converging Police, Fire Services, Health, Relief and Disaster Management Departments on the one hand, and inputs from CCTV, Social Media and Voice Call Management inputs on the other hand.

(f) Quality Control and Public Grievance Management

In all matters of construction of homes, offices, roads or bridges, quality control should be a matter of prime importance. Special test laboratories may be set up where even an ordinary citizen can get his home construction checked for quality and consistency. Complaint management by ULBs should be web based or call-centre based and citizens should get timely feedback through SMS alerts. All city based services such as mutation, death and birth certificates, trade licence, food licence, driving licence etc should be made on-line along with help desks for the web-challenged persons.

(g) Better quality of life for all residents in a sustainable manner

The Green City Plan must make the city walk-friendly for all sections of the residents especially the seniors and physically challenged persons. All footpaths should be wheel-chair friendly. All steps between blacktop road and footpath must be replaced with ramps to make

it easier for the knees of seniors. Pavements should have useful street furniture and shade trees and hedges planned effectively. Unplanned encroachment by food-stalls and hawkers should be avoided but planned facilities including benches, tea kiosks, dust-bins, water ATM, toilets, Wi Fi hotspots and solar rain sheds may be set up to let people walk easily. Few “pedestrians-only” streets can be set up.

(h) Innovation Recognition

Annually, cities, individuals, corporate, clubs, associations, officers, businessmen and public representatives can be awarded prizes for adopting innovative methods towards fulfilment of Green City Mission

V. ALLOCATION OF FUND

(a) All Departments of State Government would provide fund from Green components of respective departmental schemes. Usual budgetary allocation available in departmental budgets would be utilised by respective Departments.

(b) Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs, which will act as Nodal Department will allocate fund within the budgetary provision of Department under Demand No:54.

(c) The allocation of fund for respective ULBs/Development authorities, which will be made upon receipt of duly prepared DPR vetted by Municipal Engineering Directorate or KMDA(for KMA area only).

(d) Implementing agencies may use part of its allocation for preparation of DPR or setting up of PMUs or other administrative purpose. DPR will include Operation and Maintenance Cost for five(5) years.

(e) Utilisation certificate is to be submitted in time and until receipt of UC of previously allotted fund, no further fund will be released.

VI. TYPES OF SCHEMES

A. Following kinds of works can be taken up under different components of Green City Mission. However, the list is illustrative only and not exhaustive:

(a) Greening Plan- (i) Urban afforestation, (ii) Parks (both creation and revival), (iii) Nurseries, Floriculture, (iv) Pocket Forests, (v)Plantation along the median of the roads.

(b) Blueing Plan- (i) Conservation of water bodies, (ii) water based recreation, (iii)canal/water front development, (iv) Hedges along water front.

(c) Cleaning & Beautification Programme: (i) Landscaping of important locations and buildings of the city (ii) Placement of adequate dust bins at important locations, (iii) construction of Pay & Use toilets, (iv) specific measures for reduction of air, sound and visual pollution, (v) emphasis on Mission Nirmal Bangla, (vi) programme for landscaping of important city landmarks, (vii) use of dumpers and compactor machines, (viii) improvement of Solid waste management, (ix) development of roadside architecture

(d) Building Energy Positive City: (i) Installation of solar panel at important buildings (ii)Use of LED lights at roads and public spaces (iii) Introducing incentives for Green Building.

(e) Sustainable Public Transport: (i) Use of battery operated vehicles (ii) Building cycle track (iii) Construction of modem bus stands (iv) Building of eco friendly parking space (v)Building of adequate sub ways.

(f) Making city technology efficient: (i) Creating wi fi hotspots as much as possible and coverage of important office and other public spaces with strong wi fi network (ii)Setting up of e-Sewa Kendras (iii) Skill upgradation plan of technical wing of city administration, (iv) provision for underground utility tunnel (both for wet and dry purpose) (v) Using GPS based compactors and monitoring.

(g) Making City safe and secure: (i) Installation of CCTV at important locations (ii) Setting up of Web based system for centrally monitoring security aspect of the City.

(h) Livelihood Generation Plan: (i) Formation and running of City Livelihood centres (ii)Provision of sales counter/ outlets for keeping non PDS product.

(i) Ensuring better quality of city life and grievance management: (i) Installation of water ATMs at important public spaces (ii) Setting benches for citizens at Parks, hospitals (iii) Creation of hawker free zones.

Apart from the above listed items of works, any other items may be taken up for execution which will be considered admissible by High Powered Steering Committee, headed by Chief Secretary, time to time.

B. Following types of works are strictly not permissible under Green City Mission:

• (a) Construction of roads
• (b) Water supply scheme
• (c) Drainage related scheme
• (d) Construction of office building
• (e) Procurement of office materials

VII. This has been issued in terms of Cabinet Approval vide No. 1149-TCP/C-2/3A-17/2016 Dt. 04.07.2016 and with the concurrence of Finance Department according administrative approval of these guidelines regarding Green City Mission vide U.O. No. FD Gr ‘R’ No-0235 dt. 17.02.2017.

Sd/- Onkar Singh Meena
Secretary
UD & MA Department

No: 390-T&CP dated 20.02.2017, Source