SURAT, (Smart Cities News): The diamond city is not just the most innovative in India, but it also grabs the best climate and environment among 126 cities. The recent announcement by the union urban affairs ministry shows that Surat has the highest five-star ratings under the climate-smart cities assessment framework.
The ratings were under urban planning green cover and biodiversity and waste management categories and four-star ratings under energy and green buildings, mobility and air quality and water management categories with an overall rating of four stars. While Surat has bagged Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Gandhinagar and Rajkot etc., it managed to grab ten slots in the country.
According to Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) said that 50% of the assessment was done based on urban planning, green cover, biodiversity, energy and green buildings.
What worked in our favour was the conversation of open areas, green cover, reliance on non-conventional sources of energy, among other factors. As a result, SMC has generated 8.1 crore kilowatt-hour electricity through green energy resources such as wind, solar, and energy waste said SMC Officials.
These non-conventional sources of power cover at least 30% to 32% of our electricity needs. The city has also introduced 22 electric-run buses on its BRTS and city bus routes. The tendering process is underway for 150 more such buses, said CY Bhatt, Deputy Municipal Commissioner.
SMC’S capability to manage the 1800 tonnes of daily waste too added weightage in the assessment. The civic body generates organic compost and recycles waste plastic which can then be used in manufacturing buckets, pipes and packaging products.
SMC has undertaken these projects to give a better quality of life to Surat people and plans to introduce better projects for the future, like the biodiversity park and adopting new technologies and relying more on renewable energy sources, said SMC Commissioner.