Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a serious bid to streamline the implementation and monitoring of the corporate environment responsibility (CER) activities in its jurisdiction, has formed an executive committee headed by the joint commissioner (vigilance) and chief engineer (Development Plan) as vice chairman with invitees from academia and domino experts and representatives of association of developers, architects and town planners, local residential associations. FPJ is in possession of a circular issued by the BMC Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on March 6. Pardeshi further said that the establishment of an executive committee is necessary since there are various projects within BMC jurisdiction that comes under CER but have not been complied with the directives issued by the union ministry of environment, and forest and climate change issued in May 2018.
The committee, with a view to promoting innovative and sustainable solutions in the content of Mumbai city, will direct the project proponent to undertake a slew of activities including management of sewage through soil based treatment, urban forestry through Miyawaki technique, investment in improving learning outcomes on environment issues and use of solar and other energy efficient equipment or infrastructure.
CER is applicable multiple city projects including infrastructure creation for drinking water supply, sanitation, health facilities, focus on learning outcomes in education, skill development, electrification comprising solar, solid waste management, rain water harvesting and urban forestry in community areas.
As per the circular, the executive committee will meet as and when CER proposals are received. It can also direct the project proponent in the areas of decentralised solid waste management infrastructure and toilets with bio-digester technology, rainwater harvesting and subsequent use of the water, fulfilling needs of local hospitals to service the needy and patient care, skilling of the local youth and differently aided citizens and local and city wide awareness for local farmers, horticulturists and fishermen and measures to increase their yield.
As per the BMC guidelines, up to Rs 100 crore capital investment, the fund allocation for CER activities will be 2% in greenfield and 1% in brownfield projects of the capital investment, more than Rs 100 crore and up to Rs 500 crore (1.5% and 0.75%0, more than Rs 500 crore and up to Rs 1,000 crore (1% and 0.5%), more than Rs 1,000 crore and up to Rs 10,000 crore (0.5% and 0.25%) and more than Rs 10,000 crore (0.25% and 0.125%).
BMC assistant commissioner of ward will be appointed as nodal officer for hand-holding and monitoring CER activities. The executive committee will also define milestones for the project proponent for submitting the progress report which will be approved by the nodal officer after site inspections.
Furthermore, there will be a website linked to MyBMC pp and website where all approved initiatives of project proponents will be uploaded and bi-monthly progress recorded by project proponent or BMC’s implementing agency.
