‘Pact with Dutch firm to make Himachal waste-free’
29 April 2015 5:45 AM IST
Himachal is a state on the hills. How is urban development work carried out there?
Himachal is a predominantly hill state, housing 6.85 million people in 55,673 sq km area. Like any other part of our country, urbanisation is fast increasing and posing problems in Himachal as well. In view of heavy rain in Dharamsala, the government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore to convert most tar roads into concrete ones, the maintenance of which is much easier. Around Rs 7 crore is being spent to renovate roads leading to Mecleodganj, the seat of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.
We focus on the basic infrastructure like 24x7 drinking water, LED electricity, roads, underground cable and sewage management. The state’s urban population is 6.89 lakh. Himachal Pradesh has one municipal corporation (Shimla), 29 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats to provide municipal services in urban areas. We have proposed a plan for rural and urban areas, and work for the development of the state by merging the local bodies.
Ropeways are being built for better transportation like from Shimla to Kullu-Manali, Palchan to Rohtang, Shimla to Jobna Nivas (Mall) and in Dharamshala. In that way the pressure will be less. Also, we have come up with a unique idea of underground dumping of waste. The project will be carried out in collaboration of a Dutch company.
Tell us more about the waste management plan.
The HP government has signed an agreement with Dutch company Nexus Novus to make the state ‘waste-free’.
The feasibility study will cost 51,565 Euro (Rs 40 lakh). Nexus Novus bear the entire cost. The urban development department will provide field-level assistance to the company in carrying out a feasibility study, which will be completed in six months. The study will cover three clusters – Dharamshala-Kangra, Shimla-Solan and Mandi-Kullu-Manali-Sundernagar.
Keeping in view the expertise of the Netherlands in the field of waste management, the Dutch side was requested to assist the state by providing technological and management solution to the problem.
The feasibility study would offer pragmatic key insights into the intrinsic value of waste as a resource, allowing the local authorities to come up with a strategic business model to manage waste. Also, the urban development department will launch a large-scale community mobilisation drive to involve the state’s urban population in waste management. The drive will focus on the segregation of waste at the source.
Tell us about schemes the undertaken by the state.
Most of the schemes and projects regarding the urban development in Himachal Pradesh is taken care of by the Central government. As per the Union Budget session, the state is coming up with a ‘Smart City plan’.
The National Urban Livelyhood Mission (NULM), Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY), Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP), Rajiv Gandhi Urban Renewal Facility (RGURF), Swerage Schemes, Maintenance of ULB Roads, Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme, Swachh Bharat Mission are some of the schemes being carried out for the ‘Smart City’ move.
Besides, the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) has already launched a housing scheme and invited applications from citizens of India. Under this scheme, HIMUDA is offering plots, flats and houses and the allotment of the units will be done on the basis of free hold and lease hold.
What is the role of the urban development department in enhancing the technology and sports sector in the state?
Technology in HP has seen a vast development. Dharamsala will soon become the country’s first Assembly constituency to be brought under 24x7 CCTV surveillance. Work on the project will start in May and be completed in six months. It will help the police keep an eye on almost every road of the constituency from their control room and guide the nearest mobile police unit to an incident site quickly. The technology will also be strengthened by the public address system. Bringing the entire constituency under 24x7 CCTV surveillance will smoothen traffic and reduce road-side crimes.
Himachal offers a wide range of adventure activities for tourists. The diverse landscape and difficult terrain is a delight for adrenalin junkies eager to engage in land and water sports. The snow-capped peaks are perfect for popular adventure sports such as trekking, angling and paragliding. A football academy has been constructed in Dharamsala. Paragliding, the most popular sport in Himachal, is set to get an international acclaim as we are organising a World Cup in October. Forty-nine countries have already enrolled for the extravaganza.
What is the major problem in building housing societies and planning for prevention from natural disasters?
Capacity-building at local and regional levels for undertaking rapid-assessment surveys and investigations regarding extent of damage in post-disaster situations. To ensure the use of disaster-resistant construction techniques in all housing and other buildings to be undertaken under the Central and state schemes.
Making mandatory, the use of disaster-resistant codes and guidelines in construction (buildings) in all sections of society by law and through incentives and disincentives. The Centre has taken several initiatives for strengthening disaster reduction strategies.
Generating awareness for disaster reduction is urgently needed among policy makers, decision-makers, administrators, professionals (architects, engineers and others) financial institutions (banks, insurance, house financing institutions) and NGOs and voluntary organisations. Soil-testing, improvement in architecture and quality of housing are the basic development in preventing natural disasters. Conducting micro-zonation surveys of large urban areas falling under disaster-prone regions and preparing appropriate preparedness and mitigation plans on a regular basis are done.
What is the Centre’s role in urban and rural development in Himachal Pradesh?
We are a special category state, with very less resources of our own, except the Hydro Power Sector. Thus, the state is basically dependent on the Central government. And, in the Central and state government partnerships, it does not matter who is in power, until the work is being done to serve the people.
The Centre has a considerable role in regional and rural development and in poverty reduction. It provides local markets for agricultural produce, which are essential for small-scale farmers. But unless farmers are able to respond to the demand of urban consumers, access to natural resources, credit, labour and inputs, local markets are limited to very low-level transactions. The Centre’s role in the distribution of goods and services to rural region is significant. Prosperous agriculture can underpin rapid local and urban development.
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