Monday, December 24, 2007

Baner-Pashan Biodiversity Park Walk

PCEF News
13 October 2007

It is not everyday that one can see the Mayor, Municipal Commissioner, Party Leaders and the Chair of the Standing Committee trekking across the tekdis of Pune.

At 730 am on Saturday, 13 Oct the PMC officials and political leaders along with local corporators, citizens groups and NGOs, walked from Pashan Sus to Baner tekdi. This is the area in which the Pune Municipal Corpoation is developing a Biodiversity Park. This is part of the various lands reserved for biodiversity conservation in the city. The objective is to provide the citizens of Pune an opportunity to be close to nature, and to keep these tekdis as assets for the health of the city. Talking about the benefits of the biodiversity park, the leaders spoke about the role the hills play in soil and water conservation and recharge of ground water, and as sinks for air pollution in the city.

Clean Earth Foundation, a citizens group from Baner explained how they have been taking care of the Baner tekdi by voluntarily making continuous contour trenches, soil and water conservation and plantation work.

The citizens group from Pashan side described how they have started conducting bird watching trails on the Baner Biodiversity Park in order to enjoy nature as well as to get more and more children involved in the conservation work. They feel that it is very important to keep a watchful eye on the biodiversity park land as builders are eyeing the land.

Municipal Commissioner Mr Pardeshi appreciated the work of the citizens and the local corporators and said that citizens’ participation is crucial for the success of any municipal scheme.

The Mayor recommended that school children should be taken for regular nature walks to the biodiversity park. This work has already been initiated by BVIEER, CEE, Kalpavriksh and other NGOs. Dr Ankur Patwardhan of Garware College and his students have done a detailed survey of the different species of plants and animals of the Biodiversity Park. They have also mapped the grassland, gullies, afforested area etc. Based on inputs from citizens and the scientific surveys, a detailed management plan for the park is being prepared by the PMC.

Towards a Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

DEVELOPING A PUNE CITY BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN

Based on the methodology and format of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan project taken up at the national level in India, it is proposed that a city level strategy and action plan be developed. This is envisaged as a participatory process.

The main elements of the Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan are envisaged as:

- Compilation of information on the extent and nature of biodiversity in Pune and special aspects of biodiversity in urban areas
- Assessment of the values of biodiversity
- Analysis of threats to biodiversity
- Ongoing initiatives (research, education, action for protection, conservation, restoration) by government and other actors
- Gaps (legal, implementation, capacity, etc)
- Suggested measures articulated as a strategy and action plan including
o developing/ strengthening local bye laws on reserved lands, building permissions and development control rules, set backs from water bodies and rivers, mapping and protecting biodiversity ‘hot specks’
o research, monitoring, information systems
o education and awareness efforts
o key conservation and restoration actions, and linkages with civic processes of development planning, budgeting, reporting and review
o identification of suggested actors including municipalities, forest department, research and higher education institutions, industrial estate managers, citizens groups and specialist NGOs/ organizations etc.

Key Activities
The main activities envisaged are:
A. Create a core team for the Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)
B. Develop a framework for a Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
C. Communication for inviting participation in developing key elements of the PBSAP
D. Participatory activities towards developing key elements of the PBSAP and ongoing documentation of activities
E. Support to strengthen/ facilitate pilot implementation of known elements of biodiversity conservation with a view to evolving generic city level guidelines and systems
F. Submission of draft PBSAP to the PMC through a city level workshop


These activities are described in detail in the following section.
ACTIVITIES TOWARDS CREATING A PBSAP

A. Create a core team for the Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)
A Pune Citizens Environment Forum has been recently set up as a partnership between the Pune Municipal Corporation and a group of citizens and NGOs. A Regional Centre of Expertise on Sustainable Urban Development has been recognized at Pune by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies.

A core team may be drawn from these two bodies and Terms of Reference created for the team in consultation with members of both the PCEF and the RCE.

B. Develop the framework for a Pune Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
- Study the methodology of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of UNDP and develop the detailed methodology to be followed for the Pune process
- Make a presentation on the proposed methodology and rationale of the PBSAP process to the PCEF, RCE, and the relevant government authorities including the municipalities, forest dept, district collector, irrigation dept etc with a view to get their buy in and inputs

C. Communication for inviting participation in developing key elements of the PBSAP
Participation is considered a key element in the development of sustainability strategies, especially at the local level. In order for citizens to participate, they need to know what they are participating in, what is in it for them, and how they can contribute. For the PBSAP to be a robust strategy and for it to be implementable, these aspects must be communicated.

Soon after the presentation to the city and other authorities, a communication campaign may be launched to invite participation in the development of the PBSAP.

The communication tools may include
- Press conference and articles in the press
- Letters to citizens groups, NGOs, academic institutions, etc inviting them to hold consultations / events in their own campuses, and with their own members and describing the possible methods of participation in the PBSAP process
- Letters to / meetings with councilors and other influential citizens
- Slide shows
- Web pages/ website for the project
- A PBSAP E-Newsletter
- Nature walks (which have been done earlier by various groups, and are popular, and can be used to invite citizen engagement in strategy development)


D. Participatory activities to develop key elements of the PBSAP

a. Compile available information
A series of events/ discussions can be done with local university departments, research organizations and nature enthusiasts to compile available information about local biodiversity including from research publications and doctoral/ post graduate theses, Pune Alive documentation, interviews etc. This would help in strengthening biodiversity information in Pune.

b. Discuss contentious issues:
Some aspects of biodiversity conservation are likely to be contentious. These include land reservations for biodiversity parks on hill tops and hill slopes, and mandated green zones along rivers and streams. It is very important that legal aspects and correct information are available and understood and different points of view, trade-offs and values underlying certain types of actions are made explicit in the process of arriving at decisions. Discussions should be held with relevant stakeholders (builders association, councilors, citizens groups who have been affected by flooding or landslides) and if appropriate, tools like citizens’ juries or deliberative polls could be used. While the democratic decision makers in the city are the elected representatives, these discussions / tools are expected to help them make more informed ‘official decisions’.

c. Assessment of the values of biodiversity
Discussions should be held with specific groups such as those who
- Use local biodiversity for recreation (morning/ nature walks, boat clubs, bird watchers)
- Use local biodiversity for livelihood such as fisher folk, graziers, fire wood collectors, NTFP harvesters (tamarind, flowers, certain leaves), mobile pastoral groups who pass through Pune)
- Have views on the links between urban biodiversity and human well being.

d. Mapping biodiversity hot specks
While large land reservations are done at the city level, small habitats may get overlooked. These include bat roosting sites, small wetlands with flap-shell turtles, banyan tree groves, rare trees etc. A participatory mapping of hot specks may be done with the help of nature enthusiasts by communication over e-groups (birds of pune, butterflies of pune etc). A preliminary list should be prepared, and then a visit will be made for photo documentation and obtaining a GPS reading. These can be marked on wikimapia.

e. Develop BMC Framework
The Biodiversity Act 2000 mandates setting up of Biodiversity Management Committees at the city level (at all local self govt institutions). Discussions should be arranged at the electoral ward level on the nature of the BMCs in Pune. Draft bye-laws and activity chart for Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) can be developed through such consultation.

f. Protection of biodiversity rich areas
Open spaces are usually under threat of encroachment and pollution/ garbage dumping. Discussions / events could be held with citizens living around biodiversity rich areas/ biodiversity park reservations, to highlight their role in vigilance and conservation, and also to discuss the BMCs.

g. Linking to the DP 2007 process This should be done at several stages in the next few months through direct submissions to the PMC Planning Authority as well as through meetings and briefing sessions organized by the PCEF.


E. Support to strengthen/ facilitate pilot implementation of selected actions for biodiversity conservation with a view to evolving generic city level guidelines and systems

a. Enhance Information/ Knowledge Base on Pune’s Biodiversity
- Review method and formats for documentation of taxa, use, culture, threat, conservation actions
- Organize training programmes for college students and others interested in documentation work
- Discuss possible monitoring, reporting and information storage systems and linkage with an ongoing initiative on placing articles on Pune’s biodiversity on wikipedia as well as other local sites on Pune’s environment

b. Monitor biodiversity at selected sites
Vetal Hill Complex is a complex of small hills within the city, with a range of land use and management practices ranging from private land, revenue land, forest land, defense land, specialized habitats like old plantations, an abandoned quarry etc.

Systems for long-term monitoring of selected biodiversity rich areas can be set up by taking Vetal Hill as a pilot. The activities can include:
· Identification of taxa and activities to monitor
· Develop methods and format of monitoring
· Discuss monitoring possibilities with different user groups like colleges, tekdi group (youth group with several hundred members interested in protecting the hills of Pune), laughter clubs etc.
· Institution of monitoring, reporting and information storage systems
· Develop long term strategy for monitoring

c. Conservation action
Work with different stakeholders / actors to pilot a range of conservation actions with a view to developing implementation mechanisms, communication and support strategies for conservation work. These could include:
· Enriching biodiversity in municipal gardens
· Home herbal gardens
· Biodiversity backyards in municipal schools
· Developing biodiversity rich areas in housing colonies
· Plantation of indigenous tress along selected roads


F. Submission of draft PBSAP to PMC
This should be done through a city level workshop to which all relevant stakeholders and all those who participate in the process should be invited. Attention should be drawn to key aspects of the PBSAP that need to be integrated into the civic development plan, annual budget, and environmental status reporting processes.

Ecohousing Group - Terms of Reference

The activities mentioned below will be carried out in then next one yearperiod and feed into the Development Plan and the annual EnvironmentStatus Report

  1. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) with support from UnitedStates Agency for International Development (USAID) and theInternational Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) is implementingthe Eco-housing program in the city to encourage energy efficient andsustainable construction practices in the housing sector. With referenceto the Eco-housing Assessment Criteria (www.ecohousingindia.org) alreadydeveloped for Pune City, the PCEF Eco-housing theme group will come upwith specific recommendations for the Development Plan on how resourceefficient construction can be promoted at a city level.
  2. Based on the Eco-housing criteria, the group will alsoinclude recommendations for commercial (malls, multiplexes, offices, ITparks) and institutional (educational, government, hospital) buildings.In addition to looking at Eco-housing focus areas like site planning,water management, solid waste management, energy efficiency, renewableenergy the group will also include recommendations for related areaslike roads.
  3. Eco-housing training modules developed for consumers underthe ongoing Eco-housing program will be rolled out with the support oforganization like PBAP, NGO's and citizens groups as a means foreducation and to promote awareness about green design concepts
  4. In the long run the group will also develop Eco-housingguidelines for retrofit projects that can be used by existing housingsocieties.
  5. The recommendations for the Development Plan, meeting notes,reports and analysis will be available on the PMC, PCEF and Eco-housingwebsite. The Eco-housing recommendations will be discussed with PMCDepartments, the D P Committee and a larger stakeholder group involvingsubject experts, industry associations, NGO's and citizens. We invitecitizen participation and feedback to enhance interaction between theadministration and citizen groups.

Eco-housing Team Members

Anagha Paranjape, BNCA
Anchal Sondhi, Kalpavriksh
Aneeta Benninger, CDSA
Dinesh Girolla, PMC *(Alternate Contact)*
Pratima Kirloskar, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd.
Prasad Magdum, D. S. Kulkarni Developers
Poorva Keskar, BNCA *(Alternate Contact)*
Pushkar Kanvinde, Architect
Sanjay Deshpande, PBAP Environment Committee and SanjeevaniDevelopers
Rajiv Raje, Architect
Ravi Patwardhan, Architect, Habitat Ekistics
Veena Dharmaraj, IIEC *(Co-ordinator)*

Sunday, December 23, 2007

PCEF 6 Oct 2007

PCEF Notes of Meeting
Date: Oct 6, 2007
Venue: Indradhanushya: Citizenship and Environment Education Centre, Dattawadi

Agenda

  1. Environment Status Report (ESR) process to be taken up by PCEF
  2. Updates of progress by theme groups

Environment Status Report
As decided in the inception meeting of the PCEF, one of the tasks that the Forum should take up is the development of a framework for the Environment Status Report ESR). This is a mandatory annual report that municipalities in Maharashtra are required to produce.

The process agreed upon at the meeting is:

1. A core group consisting of Aneeta Benninger, Ranjit Gadgil, Himanshu Kulkarni, Sanskriti Menon, Laxmi Narayan, Ajay Ojha, Vijay Paranjpye (and expandable as per needs) should be set up, to develop an overall framework for the report and for individual chapters
work with the PCEF theme groups and additional groups/ individuals to take up responsibilities for the development of various sections of the ESR, including Indicators for each theme
review and edit the drafts submitted by each group submit a budget to the PMC for developing the framework and content

2. The minutes of this meeting are to be considered as the formal communication to PCEF from PMC to begin work on the ESR

3. Decisions related to content and framework:
a. Currently ESR focuses on PMC’s contribution to environment management. However, achievements by NGOs, Corporates, Citizens Forums and their best practices should be a part of the ESR.
b. The ESR should report on ecological carrying capacity and the footprint of the city and not only sectoral environmental status. This paradigm of environmental status reporting can take into account the impacts of Pune such as due to the sourcing of water from catchments outside Pune and releasing effluents without treatment.
c. A document containing the framework and benchmarks for various sectors of the ESR is one deliverable. This would help to standardize the future ESRs and make them comparable and over time to reveal the changing status of environment
d. Methods for collecting and reviewing data should be standardized; thus data gaps in current data collection systems should also be identified
e. ESR should be based on ‘spatial and temporal’ approach because environmental changes do not happen in sectors. Performance of each municipal ward must be reviewed, ranked and linked to budget allocation. ESR should have two components – status of municipal services offered and status of ambient environment.
f. An ongoing data compilation process may be developed so that data and information from diverse sources can be gathered at one location (online and as a repository)
g. The ESR should be uploaded on the PMC website
h. ESR should have relevant indicators from the Human Development Index (HDI).

The UNDP will be able to provide training to the PMC officials and PCEF on how to develop a city-level Human Development Report. The PMC is to write to JS, JNNURM requesting such a training programme.


School Education
1. The group has met three times. Apart from EE, the School Group is also studying the gaps in the provision of infrastructure, access, enrolment and student-teacher ratios. Several issues such as low enrolment in city centre schools and lack of schools in the periphery have been highlighted; average money spent per student in private schools (such as Aksharnandan and R B Academy) is similar to that spent by municipal schools, with vast difference in quality
2. It was decided that a half-day meeting should be organized to address basic education issues
3. However, the ‘environmental education’ role of the School Group should be addressed and should not be lost in the basic education work that the School Group is otherwise interested in; the EE package may address issues such as traffic, water and sanitation etc and not just nature education
4. Mr. Dhananjay Pardeshi will be the contact person from Education Department of PMC to the PCEF group.


Traffic and Cycling
1. The group has not met, however several suggestions were discussed and it was agreed to form a Cycles and Road Design group consisting of Ashok Sreenivas and Jugal Rathi, and from PMC Vivek Kharwadkar and Dinesh Girolla.
2. The ideas discussed were:
a. Design of cycle tracks, including barriers to motorized vehicles, construction material and surface, width, drainage system, signage, etc
b. A PMC phone number to be allocated for citizens to call and report broken or encroached cycle tracks/ footpaths
c. PMT services can be used to encourage cycles. PMT bus can have collapsible stands where cycles can be hooked. So people will use PMT on main roads and cycles from main road to houses, offices through narrow lanes.
d. Parking fees for bicycles must be cancelled immediately at least at PMC offices, to encourage cycling.
e. After putting adequate resources for cycle tracks in place, PMC should do a publicity campaign to encourage cycling.

(A note has subsequently been developed on the tasks of the Cycle Group; uploaded in the Cycling Theme minutes, to be discussed with Vivek Kharwadkar and Dinesh Girola).

Biodiversity
1. Several activities had been discussed by the BD theme group in the past (including Nature Awareness Areas and Interpretation Centers, Biodiversity Vision for Pune, Output on Pune’s existing gardens (suggestions for enhancing biodiversity), directory of plant nurseries of indigenous species, etc). However, the group has focused on the Baner Pashan Biodiversity Parks as that is a priority project of the PMC
2. Several experts have been consulted for the discussions on the Baner-Pashan Biodiversity Park (Prof. Sanjeev Nalawade, Vijay Paranjpye, Sujit Patwardhan. Dr. Aparna Watve and Ankur Patwardhan etc) and a smaller group is working to finalize the plan and will share the work with the rest of the BD group in the next ten days
3. Some of the broad decisions agreed upon are:
a. Road and plantation being carried on should temporarily be halted and wait for the final plans so that resources are not wasted if the plan is different.
b. Mosaic of ecosystems and elements are to be conserved in the BDP, such as quarry to be used as water body, grassland and plantation of native flora along periphery of wall based on terrain and soil availability
c. Citizens may not understand the mosaic approach immediately, and so it was decided that plantation work by citizens be stopped till the plan is decided.
d. It was agreed that boundary wall work would continue for protection of land, as that is very important to avoid private land owners from staking claim.
e. The hill walks were appreciated and it was decided that a walk would be done on 13th October along with local citizens, corporators, Mayor and party leaders (this has happened, see note appended to these minutes).
f. Signage and nature trails are to be included in the interpretation/ management plan for the park

4. The Municipal Commissioner asked about the status of the Mula Mutha Bird Sanctuary. Mr Khaire updated the group that the land belongs to Forest Dept and private owners (mainly the Wadia family). A proposal is being developed by the Forest Dept. However the Air Force has an objection, as the bird sanctuary is very close to the Airport and poses the danger of bird hits. It was clarified that the Bird Sanctuary is largely for water-based bird and for woodland birds like warblers that may not pose a threat to the aircraft. However this is to be discussed with Air Force.


Present
1. Pravinsinh Pardeshi, Municipal Commissioner
2. Yashwant Khaire, Environment and Garden Dept, PMC
3. Prashant Waghmare, City Engineer, PMC
4. Ashok Rajguru, School Education Dept, PMC
5. Dhananjay Pardeshi, School Education Dept, PMC
6. Sourabh Phadke, PuneAlive
7. Aneeta Benninger-Gokhale, CDSA
8. Tasneem Balasinorwala, Pune Tree Watch
9. Ashish Kothari, Kalpavrish
10. Anchal Sondhi, Pune Tree Watch
11. Sanskriti Menon, CEE
12. Laxmikant Deshpande, CEE
13. Ashok Sreenivas, PTTF
14. Ranjit Gadgil, Janwani
15. Jugal Rathi, Pune Cycle Pratishthan
16. Harshwardhan, ACWADAM
17. Avinash Madhale, CEE
18. Ujwal Keskar, Corporator
19. Erach Bharucha, BVIEER
20. Laxmi Narayan, Waste Matters
21. Himanshu Kulkarni, ACWADAM
22. Zigisha Mhaskar, Independent Consultant
23. Vijay Paranjpye, Gomukh

Cycling 15 Oct 2007

Cycling Group

Based on discussions between Ashok Sreenivas (PTTF), Sanskriti Menon (CEE), Ranjit Gadgil (Janwani) and Jugal Rathi (Pune Cycling Pratishthan) on 15 Oct 2007

To be discussed with Vivek Kharwadkar and Dinesh Girolla


Action plan for immediate improvement of the cycling environment in the city

List of all roads (BRT and IRDP) which have cycle tracks
Lengths of each section
Mark on a map (prefer as a layer on the GIS base map being prepared for the DP)
Status of cycle tracks – not started, work in progress (expected completion date), completed (these would have to be evaluated for how well they are working)

Inspection of cycle track starting from
Ganeshkhind Road à FC 3rd gate
MMC à SNDT gate
(complete by 26th)
· Submit report on obstructions (man-made or natural), any disrepair and submit to appropriate ward office (submit by 31st)
· Ward office to finish repairs and removal of obstructions, if any within 2 weeks. (Nov 15th )

Encroachment removal mechanism to be set-up- PMC to declare a number that can be called to report encroachment on any cycle track.

Details needed
a. who will attend to this call (which dept.)
b. caller must be returned a complaint number - so as to be able to follow up
c. must decide time bound action (12 hours) and who will do this - ward office? - action? remove encroachment only or fine possible too? can we insist on a call back to the complainant? how to escalate if no action taken?
d. number must be displayed prominently (and maybe some media can print as part of a press note issued by the PMC) - number may need to be incorporated into larger signage issue

Signage for Cycle Tracks
Road Signs indicating existence of cycle track (green sign boards)
Better identification on the cycle track itself – clearly painted on track and at entrance and exit

Encroachment issue on stretch from Nal Stop to Athavale Chowk
Add girders on both sides
Reduce number of openings
Eventually create barriers that are cycle friendly but 2-wheeler impassable

Cycle Parking Charges
Cancel all cycle parking charges at all Govt. facilities
Simultaneously increase 2-wheeler fee by Re 1 and 4-wheeler by Re 2 at such locations

Consider cycle racks for buses (front loading) on experimental basis on (say) 10 buses – racks to be designed by engineering student (or others) volunteers using foreign rack designs as basis – rack designs to be investigated by PCEF – submit ideas and feasibility report in 1 month.

Pune Cycle Network – a “ride and return” cycle program
Idea is to create 400 locations in the city where specially branded cycles can be picked up and returned
Each location will have ~25 cycles
10,000 cycles to be sponsored by various corporates, individual donors, PMC etc
Each location to have a “caretaker” who will manage the cycles and do minor repairs and maintenance.
Aim is to promote casual, short trip, cycling and make it a visible mode. Attrition in cycles expected, fleet will need constant additions. After initial losses, expect cycle fleet numbers to stabilize.

PCEF cycle group to promote the idea and activate citizen networks to take idea forward. – expect results in 2 months.

Creation of PCEF

Discussion on proposed Pune Citizens' Environment Forum, 27th June 2007

Minutes of key issues and decisions

The main purpose of the Pune Citizens' Environment Forum is to advance progress toward sustainable development of Pune, by focusing discussions and action on key environmental issues, and providing a regular forum for interface, exchange of information, planning, and redressal between citizens and the administration.
The role of the PCEF is that of working together and not in an adversarial manner. The need for activism arises when the administration is not responsive or amenable. In Pune, there are tremendous intellectual inputs available from citizens groups and NGOs. However, there are a range of impediments in conversion of these inputs into on-ground implementation, such as capacity gaps, immaturity of democratic processes, etc. The role of CSOs has evolved, and in many parts of India, the government and citizens groups and development professionals are working together to achieve results. Mr Pardeshi stressed the point that the PMC administration looks forward to a solution-oriented mode of work.
The Citizens' Environment Forum (CEF) will address the following themes initially:
a. Water (including rivers and streams)
b. Biodiversity (including green spaces)
c. School education (focusing on environmental education and action)
d. Public education (focusing on the PMC’s role in public education)
e. Environmental aspects of Development Control Rules (waste, water, energy etc)
f. Promotion of Eco-housing
g. Promotion of decentralized waste management and other aspects that require outreach/ public discussion
h. Promotion of non-motorized transport modes (including cycling and footpaths) and other aspects that require outreach/ public discussion
i. Sustainability indicators
Since several of these are linked to each other, a joint consideration of certain aspects will be required. Sustainability indicators need to be identified for each theme.
The Forum will meet once in two months for the first few months, starting June/ July 2007.
The Municipal Commissioner will chair the PCEF and its meetings. The Forum will have Theme Groups and a Secretariat. A table of participation in each Theme is attached.
The mode of operation of the CEF for each theme is envisaged as:
a. Initial meetings with PMC officials, NGOs, researchers, relevant stakeholder representatives on the theme concerned to arrive at the points that are meant for public discussions (policy gaps, data gaps, improvements needed in implementation, roles/ responsibilities of the admin and citizens, etc)
b. Preparation of a base presentation / paper using material from the above meetings, CDP, ESR etc
c. Stakeholder/ Public meeting (with adequate publicity etc) to discuss actionables (with indicators for assessment/evaluation) for PMC and citizens/CSOs etc
d. Consolidation of ideas from public meeting, preparation of strategy papers to be uploaded on PMC website and disseminated through PMC newsletter and other media (press notes, articles, CSO newsletters and websites)
e. Submission of relevant recommendations to the Development Plan Steering Committee/ Planning Committee
The Secretariat of the Forum will be Yashwant Khaire, Sanskriti Menon, Ranjit Gadgil and Shamita Kumar (the latter three in their individual capacity, to clarify that the Secretariat is not linked to any particular CSO). Its key functions will be to
prepare for the meetings, take notes and send out minutes
seek inputs from stakeholders and from relevant officials and CSOs, and
facilitate the initial meetings of the Theme Groups
send minutes of theme groups for uploading onto the PMC website and ourpune.com
The Forum will be linked to, and integrate its outputs with, ongoing formal mandatory processes such as the Development Plan 2007 and the annual Environmental Status Report. Towards this, a. A representative of the CEF will be part of the DP 2007 Steering Committee (Sujit and Ranjit are part of the Steering Committee)
b. Required data from the PMC depts will be made available to the CEF for analysis to feed into the ESR as an ongoing process
c. One agenda item in the meetings of the CEF will be a review of the actions arising out of the ESR of July 2007
d. The Forum could become the platform for the preparation of the ESR, and groups within the Forum should "have ownership" over the ESR process.
Suggestions for specific themes included:
a. Eco-housing training modules can be considered as content for public education
b. Eco-housing group should consider the application of recommended technology to SRA construction
c. Innovative communication methods such as the BNCA initiative at public gardens can be used for public education
d. NIASA may be requested to join the Forum as regular Quality Improvement Programmes are arranged for architects and builders
e. Health issues are to be considered as a cross cut and may be included as indicators of sustainability
f. Ground water needs to be included in the theme on water
Expected outputs
a. Enhanced understanding and awareness about key environmental issues of Pune city
b. Inputs into DP, ESR and annual budgeting and planning processes on key environmental issues
c. Identification of aspects in each theme that need specific actions in terms of additional research, data collection, communication/ outreach, policy advocacy at various levels, etc that can be pursued by citizens groups, research and academic institutions and the PMC
d. Enhanced linkages between administration and citizens/ citizens groups
e. Regular public monitoring of action taken.
The draft Environmental Status Report was presented by the Mr Yashwant Khaire and Dr Ajay Ojha, PMC Environment Cell. Suggestions for the ESR process included:
a. Analysis of trends over the last 10 years
b. Highlight environmental aspects of municipal services, amenities, facilities
c. Access data from non-PMC sources as well (the example of groundwater was highlighted)
d. Disaggregate data and its presentation at the electoral ward level to the extent possible now (waste, diseases, water etc)
e. Put in place data collection methods for the future that enable dis-aggregation of data and its presentation and analysis
f. The CEF themes need to link up with the ESR chapters/ sections
Theme Groups
Secretariat: Yashwant Khaire, Sanskriti Menon, Ranjit Gadgil, Shamita Kumar
Water (including river): Zigisha, Himanshu, Vijay Paranjape, Ramchandra Kowlgi
Biodiversity (including green spaces): Mr Savarkar, Doc, Anchal, Raghu, Saili S Palande, Green Hills, Yashwant Khaire, Ashish Kothari, Laxmikant Deshpande, Veena Dharmaraj, Ruby Ardeshir
Sustainability indicators: Dr Sanap, Ranjit Gadgil, Sanskriti, Laxmi Narayan, Laxmikant Deshpande, Shantanu Roy, Girish Sant
School: Doc Bharucha, Dhanamanjiri Sathe
Public education: Sanskriti, Veena, Anand Agashe, Amarnath Karan, Saroj Badgujar, Poorva Keskar, Anagha Paranjape, Pratima Kirloskar
Promotion of Ecohousing: Veena Dharmaraj, Anagha Paranjape, Aneeta Benninger, Mr Kanvinde (NIASA), Anchal, PBAP, Pratima, Dinesh Girolla, Anchal Sondhi, Poorva Keskar
Environmental aspects of Development Control Rules: Mr Keskar, Aneeta Benninger, Pratima, Anagha, Zigisha Mhaskar, Dinesh Girolla, Sujit Patwardhan, S.V.Ghaisas, Poorva Keskar, Shantanu Roy
Aspects of waste management: Dr VS Ghole, Aapla Parisar, Laxmi Narayan, Poornima Chikarmane, Sudhir V. Gawali, Suhas Khadilkar, Girish Sant
Traffic, cycling and footpaths: Ranjit Gadgil, Sujit Patwardhan

Ecohousing Minutes 15 Oct 2007

Pune Citizens Environment Forum – Eco housing Theme Group
Monday, 15 October 2007, Sanjeevani Developers

Participants

1. Anagha Paranjape
2. Anchal Sondhi
3. Mr. Pushkar Kanvinde
4. Sneha
5. Veena Dharmaraj

Discussion Points

  1. The group discussed measures under the ‘Water Conservation’ and Solid Waste Management’ category of Eco-housing. The table below includes preliminary assessment of criteria that can be included in the DP
  2. The table below includes only those Eco-housing criteria that are relevant for inclusion in the Development Control Rules.

TBD Table

  1. The proposed date for the next meeting is Thursday, 1 November 2007.

Ecohousing Minutes 13 Sept 2007

Pune Citizens Environment Forum – Eco housing Theme Group
Thursday, 13 September 2007, Sanjeevani Developers

Participants

1. Dinesh Girolla
2. Poorva Keskar
3. Prasad Magdum
4. Ravi Patwardhan
5. Veena Dharmaraj

Discussion Points

  1. It was decided that the structure of all forthcoming meetings would be to deliberate on the individual focus areas of the Eco-housing assessment criteria to come up with specific recommendations for the DP. The group will evaluate each criteria and based on its applicability to the D C Rules, come up with suggestions for promotion at the city level.
  2. Even though the Eco-housing criteria is applicable to the residential construction, the group will also include recommendations for commercial (malls, multiplexes, offices, IT parks) and institutional (educational, government, hospital) buildings.
  3. In addition to the focus areas covered in the Eco-housing assessment criteria (site planning, environment architecture, waster and solid waste management, renewable energy, efficient lighting) the group will also include recommendations for related areas like roads.
  4. It was proposed that at least one representative from each PCEF theme group should participate in the meetings of the PMC - DP Committee.
  5. The group discussed measures under the ‘Site Planning’ category of Eco-housing. The table below includes preliminary assessment of criteria that can be included in the DP
  6. TBD Table
  7. The proposed date for the next meeting is Tuesday, 9 October 2007.

Ecohousing Minutes 27 Aug 2007

Minutes of Meeting – Eco Housing Theme Group

Held on Monday, August 27, 2007 at Sanjeevani Developers, Pune

Attendees:
  • Sanjay Deshpande
  • Veena Dharmaraj
  • Poorva Keskar
  • Anagha Paranjape
    Pushkar Kanvinde
  • Rajiv Raje
  • Pratima Kirloskar
  • Dinesh Girolla

Points discussed:
  1. Zoning for Eco-housing was discussed – Can we develop zones (environmentally sensitive areas) where all projects will have to be necessarily Eco Housing projects? How to define these zones?
  2. How can we determine the ‘carrying capacity’ of these zones – what parameters can we use?There was a need felt that the DC Rules Theme Group and the Eco Housing Theme Group merge its discussions periodically so that some recommendations for eco housing can be incorporated in the new frame for DC Rules
  3. It is now decided to structure the way discussions are happening. Each and every criteria of the Eco Housing norms will be discussed jointly by the group and come up with relevant suggestions / recommendations as to its promotion at the city level
  4. One very important take out of the wastewater recycling criteria was that can we reserve land in the new DP for decentralized Sewage Treatment Plants and Rainwater / storm-water treatments plants. This facility is either ward wise or zone wise, where the adjoining building development needs to connect to. This facility will aid the smaller plots to implement the aforesaid eco housing criteria. The bigger plots can be self sufficient. Similar recommendations in DP and Dc Rules may emerge out of the 88 different criteria.
  5. Discussions happened on redevelopment of core areas – FSI allowable? Controlling densities. Character of streets
  6. It was also suggested that we as a group develop guidelines for Eco Housing for different plot sizes to see the economic viability. These guidelines will also extend to commercial and retrofit projects
  7. It has been suggested that all the Minutes of our meetings be put up on http://www.ourpune.com/ website to open up the group discussions to the citizens of Pune. etc. This has been agreed to and Mrs Pratima Kirloskar will be taking the responsibility of uploading the minutes on to this website
  8. There was a discussion on Builder Registration by Pune Municipal Corporation to control implementation of all development norms.
  9. There was a discussion on using the mechanism of Insurance of real estate to check illegal constructions and safety of buildings, particularly in high density core areas of the city. The concept of a Sinking Fund and offset in property taxes to generate funds for society maintenance and upkeep of eco measures was discussed.
  10. Lastly, it was agreed that as the Eco Housing Theme Group, the existing Eco Housing Cell of PMC will utilized for awareness and promotion.
  11. The next meeting is scheduled on 13 September 2007, between 3 and 5 pm at Royal Park, Sanjeevani Developers.

Ecohousing Minutes 17 July 2007

Pune Citizens Environment Forum – Eco housing Theme Group

Tuesday, 17 July 2007

Participants

1. Anangha Paranjape
2. Anchal Sondhi
3. Dinesh Girolla
4. Poorva Keskar
5. Pushkar Kanvinde
6. Sanjay Deshpande
7. Veena Dharmaraj

Discussion Points and Decisions

As the construction sector has a huge impact on environment, the use of natural resources and city infrastructure, the Eco-housing theme group will focus on how construction activity in the city can be more sustainable.

Since the Development Plan is being revised for 2007- 2027, an immediate activity the group will undertake is to provide inputs on measures that would contribute to eco-sensitive housing development in the city. A two-stage process will be followed - policy inputs in the Development Plan and how the policy can be incorporated into the D C Rules.

The introduction of carbon trading as a part of the D C Rules was proposed as implementation of Eco-housing measures would result in greenhouse gas emission reductions.

While Eco-housing looks at residential development, the group will also develop green building guidelines for PMC public buildings, schools, and market places.

As Eco-housing covers a wide range of areas the theme group identified a list of key issues to focus on. Issues and the impact will be evaluated at a macro (city) level and micro (individual project, ward level) level. Preliminary focus areas short listed by the group that will be integrated into the housing development policy and use include

  • Inputs in the Development plan for implementation of Eco-housing in new, retrofit and redevelopment projects.
  • Detailed study of the rainwater flow pattern in the city to develop a surface water management plan. Micro level studies will be taken up in some wards which will be useful to plan new development.
  • As the RWH strategy (storage, recharge,) depends on the hydrology a study to identify the kind of measures that will be useful in different parts of the city can be incorporated in the RWH policy.
  • Use sustainability indicators to identify carrying capacity of an area/ward. This will give an idea of the wards where Eco-housing will provide the maximum benefit. The F. S. I. for different wards can be fixed depending on the infrastructure and natural resource availability in that area.
  • Examine the impact of Eco-housing on reducing the ecological footprint of a family/building/area.

Data required for analysis will be requested from PMC and other organizations working in the field.

The Eco-housing theme group will meet fortnightly to start with. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 2 August 2007.

Action Items

The following will be circulated to the group prior to the next meeting

  1. List of D C Rules related to storm water management, RWH, wastewater treatment - Sanjay
  2. List of proposed sustainability indicators – Anagha
  3. Calculate the ecological footprint of a family- Veena