CAI bags Asian Development Bank project for cleaner Ahmedabad

At a recent conference held at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept) campus, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) assigned the project that aims to curtail emissions in the city from land use and transport, to Clean Air Initiatives (CAI).  

CAI, with a vision to reduce hazardous effects of emissions on people living in Ahmedabad and surrounding areas, will study the needs of the city and figure out how the emissions can be reduced.

In order to assist AUDA and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in the venture, Cept has decided to collaborate with CAI and a make a model plan.

According to HM Shivanand Swamy, associate professor at Cept, "We will associate ourselves with CAI for the model study of Ahmedabad city. Probably a few of the strategies might help AMC and AUDA to curb emissions in the city from land use and transport." The conference mainly concentrated on the land use and transport emissions in cities outside India. Rapid Assessment for City Emissions (RACE) was suggested for the Asian cities as it would cover two things -energy use in industrial, commercial and residential buildings and transportation and land use and transport integration.

Suggested investments by CAI for low emission urban development included mixed land use development, increased public transport systems, improved non-motorised transport infrastructure, cleaner energy sources to be prioritised and encourage energy efficient buildings.

AMC municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra was present at the consultation workshop.