Seminar on GIS and Remote Sensing

I inaugurated a seminar organised by the Institution of Surveyors. The topic was "Role of GIS and Remote Sensing in Surveying and Land Management".

I asked why we cannot start upwards, adding value, to digitised maps available in the public domain like google maps but must always re-invent the wheel by starting from NRSE data/ maps.I asked why there is such a disconnect between institutes and departments who use GIS.

The seminar was in the new auditorium at Nalban. It was made by BENFISH. It is called Rabindra Kanan Hall. Fairly OK, air-conditioned hall.

Sewage Fed Fishery at Kalyani

Today I went to Bhatpara and Kalyani to see site of proposed Sewage Treatment Plant Projects. At Kalyani, I saw how sewage water was being used for fish cultivation. Synergy between th two depatments I now hold !

I am Secretary of Fisheries too !

Today afternoon, I took charge of Principal Secretary, Fisheries Department. This is in addition to my existing charge of UD

Meeting with Statnding Committee of Parliament on Tuesday last

I attended the meeting with the Committee of Parliament on Minority Affairs. Chief Secretary represented the state govt; I and other secretaries were also there. This was on the 14th Feb, Tuesday.
In the report by UD Department, we indicated that in the 10 towns (other than Kolkata) which had Minority Population more than 20%, the percentage of minority beneficieries in BSUP houses was 22%

Sustainable Cities

I attended the conference on Sustainable Cities yesterday. It was organised by CREDAI and ICC. Besides chairing a technical session and making a presentation myself, I was also present in the inaugural session.
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There has been two references in today's newspapers: in The Telegraph and Indian Express. The links are as follows:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110212/jsp/calcutta/story_13568969.jsp

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bengal-finally-wakes-up-to-frame-its-housing-policy/749189/

IIT Kanpur Seminar on Sewage Treatment through PPP

Finished the ice-cream served in Rajdhani express. I just boarded the Howrah bound Rajdhani express. From Kanpur. I reached IIT today morning itself.
The problem in PPP for urban sectors - unlike Delhi T3 airport, for example - is that revenue earning is poor in fields such as sewage treatment. IIT posed the following model:
Treat sewage as a source of water, like ground water, for instance. Treat it. After a tertiary treatment, the water is clean. Cost is about 1 p per litre. PPP SPV can sell it to Municipalities and they will be refinanced by NGRBA. Municipalities can supply the treated wastewater to bulk industrial consumers, or agriculture or even for ground water recharging.
Sounded interesting.

Govt of India Survey on Women Elected Representatives in Municipalities

I got a DO letter from Govt of India. This stated that a study was done on women elected to urban local bodies  to assess their training needs.
The study is available at:
http://niua.org/Publications/research_studies/Impact_assessment_women_elected_Representatives/Impact%20assessment_summary.pdf
Interesting read

Planning For Environmentally Sustainable Urban Development

Our Urban Development Department today co-hosted with the US Consulate an interactive discussion on Urban Planning today morning, with Dr (Ms) Kristina Ford. The topic was:
Planning For Environmental Sustainable Urban Development
With special reference to challenges brought by increasing urbanization.

It was a refreshing experience, sharing thoughts with experiences drawn from USA & New Orleans and India & West Bengal. Mr P.K.Biswas, Associate Town Planner gave a very good introductory presentation. Dr Ford integrated her talk excellently from where the presentation left.

Key take-aways:
(1) "Smart Growth", "Sustainable Growth" are slogans that may not always communicate well (2) Planners and planning concepts must reach out to a wider audience (3) Besides the objectives, the urban processes through which the future path traverses may need attention too: citizens may have to give up something now to get a green future, for example
* * *
Kristina Ford happens to be the wife of Mr Richard Ford, who inaugurated Kolkata Book Fair in 25th Jan. I went to the book fair yesterday, like every past year since my college days. The White House pavilion reminded me of my visit to Washington in 2005

National Development Committee on UD Postponed

I was to attend a meeting of the NDC's UD Sub Committee today at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. It was called off at the last moment. No reasons were given, but I understand that this was because Jaipal Reddy has just gone away and Kamal Nath has taken over yesterday.
I attended a meeting with Secretary, MoEF, GoI on NGRBA at Paryavaran Bhavan, New Delhi

Bonjemari

I am now in Shatabdi express and heading towards Howrah It is 7 pm and hot tomato soup was just served. A little while ago, I visited Bonjemari. This is a site that is close to Maithon / Chittaranjan. An area of 1100 acres has been identified for shifting people in 139 locations that are subsidence-prone due to underground mining.
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I wished to emphasise that the mini-township must be planned well. It should be sustainable, carbon-friendly and economically vibrant. Onkar Meen (DM Burdwan), CEO ADDA, AEOs, Town Planner (Anindita & Others) were with me.
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Earlier, I had this very interesting brainstorming session at ADDA House in Asansol where I followed up the tasks assigned to me at Delhi on Affordable Housing. The basic question was: "What can be done to facilitate PPP projects solely for the EWS / LIG category?"
I got some good suggestions. I requested all present to present their views to me by email within a week.

Pension for SJDA like KMDA

I signed the GO stating that Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority staff will be eligible to get pension.

 Earlier, only KMDA staff got it among all 9 Development Authorities of the state.
Other authorities like HDA, ADDA etc do not get pension.
Co-incidentally, Shri Asok Bhattacharya is the Chairman of both authorities.

Loharinag Pala

I attended the first meeting of the NGRBA (Ganga Authority) Steering Committee meeting at North Block Delhi yesterday. I found, for the first time, that Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee who was chairing the meeting, a bit annoyed at Uttarakhand, and even lose his cool for a brief while. The issue was Loharinag Pala.
At Loharinag Pala of Uttarakhand, NTPC was constructing a Hydroelectric Project. There was agitation that this would disturb the environment and the would adversely affect the Ganga river. But work had already started. Govt of Uttarakhand demanded compensation for the stopped project from Govt of India. To this, Pranab Mukherjee reacted sharply. He argued that this would open floodgate where future projects might start without environment clearance and then demand compensation for stopping it due to non-receipt of environmental clearances. He argued that both development and environment should go in parallel and both were joint responsibility of central and state governments and question of compensation cannot arise. A group of secretaries were formed to see if additional electrical power could be made available to Uttarakhand.
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There was a rare faux pas at the beginning of the meeting. Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde complained that though he was present in the previous meeting of NGRBA presided over by PM, the minutes circulated did not mention his attendance. Shri Jairam Ramesh apologised and promised that revised minutes would be circulated immediately.
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At 9.30 pm, we met Union FM at his office. He will go to Fulbari in Jalpaiguri district to inaugurate a land custom station.

First Meeting of Task Force on PPP for Affordable Housing

The first meeting of the National Task Force on PPP for Affordable Housing was held today in Delhi. I came out of the PPP seminar at ITC Maurya at 11 am and went to Nirman Bhavan to attend the meet as its member. I outlined the West Bengal experience including JVC/Assisted Sector initiated projects where 50% of the housing stock must be for EWS/LIG. I told of on-line plan sanction in New Town, which basically works on a system of self certification by professionals like registered architects.
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I was assigned the task of doing an in-depth study as to how Development Authorities can help PPP ventures in getting projects cleared quickly for Affordable Houses to take place in the PPP / Private Mode. The self-certification route is also to be explored more fully. As suggested by Secretary Ms Kiran Dhingra, I think I'll do a case study in ADDA (Asansol Durgapur Development Authority.
.I have a month to do so. 
(Posted at T3 Airport Terminal Delhi: flight to Kolkata delayed by one and a half hour. It will leave at 9.25 pm it seems)

PPP Conclave at Delhi....2

Today was the first of the two-day seminar on PPP at Delhi. It is happening in ITC Maurya. It started at 9.30am and eneded at 7.20 pm: a long but useul day. Pranab Mukherjee and Montek Singh Ahluwalia were there in the inaugural session.
In the panel discussion at the Water Exchange, I made the following points:
(1) Capacity building is a step in right direction. But manpower shortage at ULB levels is also a real problem.
(2) Correct DPR and clear assessment of UfW (Unaccounted-for-Water) is necessary for PPP
(3) Chairpersons of ULBs must be sensitised. Political 'race to the bottom' (water user charges are being made free) must be stopped.
(4) For equity reasons (how will the poor pay water user charges?), PPP for water may succeed better for supplementary quality water supply system coexisting with municipal water system (think of the co-existence of bottled/mineral water and municipal tap water or co-existence of unleaded 'normal' petrol and 'speed' fuel).

Green Modules for New Urban Spaces - Workshop

I attended the workshop at Sonnet today, after being exempted from the High Court where I had to appear first thing in the morning.
 I learnt a lot. Some things that stuck:

(1) We must follow an alternate path for development. We must recognise that the city system is a living organism, and planning must aim to re-inforce the natural fluxes (water, sun, wind etc). For example, streets must be laid keeping wind direction in view.
(2) Walk to work: socially acceptable compact city form must be developed.
(3) Energy efficient, climate resilient city design
(4) Comfort of public space (no rushing from one air conditioned zone to another ac zone in an ac vehicle). Linear green and blue open spaces (I also thought of Shantiniketan's Chhatimtala).
(5) Behaviour change (cycle for poor, car for rich: change mindset)
(6) Freight transport management
(7) RRR (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), PPPP (Public Private people Partnership)
(8) French drain (perforated drainage pipes to allow groundwater recharging) & permeable pavements
(9) Congestion tax to subsidise cycles

I also made a few remarks.
It was a pleasure meeting Jeffry again: I thought what he said made sense. It was gratifying to note that even Dr Johannes Flacke  was in the audience: I knew he'd be flying back to Germany today. Interacting and hearing Prof Misra and other speakers were also great.
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"AMAAR KOLKATA"
In the evening, I was in a lively panel discussion at the Palladium Lounge. It was organised by Young Indians / CII. I remembered that I attended one event of CII/Yi last year too, when I was in the Election Commission. It was great meeting Dr Kedia once again.
This time we talked on Innovations in Urbanisation. I thought it went off well. At the end (after saying a lot of other things including citizen behaviour change, I suggested that we should launch a campaign "Amaar Kolkata" (My Calcutta). I thought it struck a chord with the audience

Planning Seminar in Haldia on Monday

I stayed through the day in the Planning Meet at Haldia on Monday (13th Dec). This was about adoption of scientific methodology for urban land planning (LUDCP).
I liked how Prof TNMajumdar of IIT analysed Haldia's transportation goof-ups. The presentation was clear, logical and concise. Over lunch, I discussed if he could suggest a new road alignment that will open up industrial possibilities and if Durgachak-Haldia can be developed as a bipolar township through a rapid transport (metro rail / Bus rapid transport) link.

 I also became acquainted with Dr Johannes Flacke of ITC University, Netherlands and his work. He told us how ITC is making complex GIS applications fit for citizen consultation through large touch tables ("giant i-phone-like screens"). We agreed over lunch that it'd be a good idea to visit his university if and when I ever visit Netherlands (I'd been to Amsterdam in 2004 on a 2-day visit when I was studying in ENA, France).
Ms Anandita Sengupta, who is doing a research project with Dr Flacke, also made a presentation. The basic idea of mapping vulnerability by judging the hazardousness of an industry (think of Bhopal) and the susceptibility of houses (think of mud houses vs concrete houses) was quite innovative, I thought.
All in all, it was a day very well spent (I left Kolkata at 6.30 am and returned at 8 pm) where I learnt a lot and also presented my views from a macro level, during the inaugural session.

PPP Conclave on Dec 22-23

The Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs, Govt of India is organising a one day India PPP Conclave followed by an international PPP X-change on 22-23 Dec at Delhi. I've been invited to attend it. I went to the North Block today (in between two meetings at Delhi) and ascertained the details.I'm also likely to be a panel speaker since I'd been the co-ordinator for the report on urban PPP by MoUD earlier.
The event is being organised by DEA in collaboration with Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. I quote below the objective of the conclave:

"The objective of the conclave is to take stock of developments in the PPP space so far and set course for the future, so that the target of private participation for the XII Plan period, which has tentatively been fixed at US$ 500 billion can be achieved".
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I attended a meeting at the Planning Commission in the morning. Among other things, I told that a Rs. 1,500 cr World Bank project preparation on development of secondary cities is being held up because of the conditionality imposed by World Bank that they would first like legislative action for withdrawal of the Urban Land Ceiling Act.

"Ecologically Sustainable, Economically Productive and Socially Equitable"

I am in the gleaming T3 Delhi Airport now, waiting to board the 8.50pm Jet Airways flight to Kolkata. I drove straight from the venue of the National Conference.
FM Pranab Mukherjee said that our urban strategy should be ecologically sustainable, economically productive and socially equitable. I thought he expressed it quite well.
* * *
Mayor of Kanpur described how the State CM was denuding all Mayors of UP of all authority and role, thus making a mockery of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. This was a little while after someone commented on the dais that capacity building was not a prerequisite for devolution of powers to the Urban Local Bodies: after all, Churchill did not insist on training up India's leaders before granting her independence !
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Many states and cities received awards. I felt a little sad that West Bengal didn't get any. I sort of connected with the Mayor of Raipur who said that she was new but would 'snatch' an award next year. ...But can we?

National Conference on JnNRUM tomorrow

I am in Delhi today. A National Conference on JnNRUM will be inaugurated by Shri Pranab Mukherjee tomorrow. I'll attend. I collected the passes etc. Learnt that they don't allow laptops, mobiles (not surprising) but not even pendrives (rather surprising) inside the auditorium.
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I went to the Planning Commission today. I was told that they had not agreed to the diversion of money from UIG to UIDSSMT. This was proposed earlier by the State Govt.

Bonjemari

I went to Durgapur yesterday. After the review meeting on JnNRUM, I sat with officers and planners of ADDA who are involved in the project for resettlement of subsidence-prone villages. I learnt that a possible site is located at Bomjemari, close to Maithon dam (pic on left) near Jharkhand border. About 2-3 lakh people will be rehabilited at this and other locations. Although it is a long-term project, calling for huge resources over the years, I talked about things that we may take into consideration while making plans for the new town.

It is not often that one gets a greenfield town project, especially in a densely populated state like West Bengal. I urged the planners to think 'out of the box'. I indicated that our focus now may centre around more green spaces for the children and citizens to move around, taller buildings, more underground utilities and transport hubs (I told them about the Masdar City project in Abu Dhabi), energy and carbon neutrality, optimising wind use and generally looking two or three decades into the future.

I plan to visit the spots next month or so.

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On my way to Durgapur,  I stopped by to visit the housing project called Rennaissance in Burdwan. The project is a joint venture of BDA (Burdwan Development Authority). I saw two model houses (pic at right) and quite liked them. I advised them to built in some environment friendly features into the project if possible.