Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials brainstormed with representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) regarding improving the city’s air quality. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava and IMC commissioner Shivam Verma held a meeting with representatives of the Clean Air Catalyst (CAC) project by USAID at AICTSL Office.
The meeting focused on Indore's ongoing efforts to strengthen its clean air initiatives and improve air quality. The Mayor emphasised making Indore the first city in the country to have its own bylaws, aligning with central government laws and international treaty norms to promote clean air under the Clean Air Initiative. Discussions included improving Indore's air quality monitoring, identifying pollution hotspots, analysing major sources of pollution and leveraging CAC resources.
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The mayor said, “CAC has conducted comprehensive studies to improve air quality, but real results will be seen only if we adopt a solution-based approach. We have requested their assistance in drafting and implementing laws. Beyond monitoring, we need actionable strategies, such as creating signal-free squares and reducing traffic congestion.” Jessica Lewis, USAID's representative, said, “We are working in three cities—Nairobi, Jakarta and Indore.
As Kenya faces significant challenges, including the lack of vehicle emission regulations and hospital waste incineration issues, while Jakarta deals with a massive population, Indore is set to become the first city to adopt such regulations.” Commissioner Shivam Verma proposed shifting IMC’s garbage collection vehicles to electric vehicles as a measure to enhance air quality.
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Additionally, the meeting discussed future plans under the CAC project to holistically develop the city by reducing emissions in the transport sector. Key areas of focus included addressing ongoing air quality challenges such as transportation emissions, construction dust and industrial pollution. The discussion also highlighted the need to sustain initiatives like CAC and actively engage the public in pollution-reduction efforts, especially by promoting the use of public transport.