The meet concluded with most speakers, experts agreeing on that there is an imminent need for integrated development of lakes, rivers and coastal fronts as part of the overall transformation of cities with healthy, clean waterfront, adding value to the cities.

The speakers, during the 11 sessions at the three-day meet (January 29-January 31) highlighted the challenges, major initiatives and agenda on which action was possible, needed for creating sustainable and inclusive cities.

This was covered in the e-Governance initiatives session chaired by Additional Secretary for Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, S R Rao. Its relevance in the context of national e-governance plan came into focus at the meet.

At the open house interactive session with the citizens, mayors and city managers, which was chaired by Bhavnagar Mayor Rina Shah, the speakers felt that the good urban governance can come in with people’s participation and transparency.

Speakers also said that cities with vision documents are coming forward with best practices and projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The vision document guides the action plan for support following submission of detailed project reports as they help achieve effective and timely implementation.

The Umeed initiative of Ahmedabad also came under scanner for emulation by other cities as it proved a source for job creation, poverty alleviation and skill impartation in tackling urban poverty.

Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam made presentations on behalf of AMC. He focused on issues like sustainable and safer cities, city infrastructure and service, integrated water and waste water management, integrated waste management, transport and traffic management, energy, environment and climate change response, fire safety, affordable housing, remote sensing applications. The sessions had over 110 presentations addressed by various speakers.

The event also saw three vision addresses on sustainable cities, which were delivered by Dr Mark Ginsberg, advisor to assistant secretary, US Department of Energy, Dr Colin J Clinton, director of the Arup Group, Birmingham, and B K Rao, chairman and chief executive officer of Genesyst Ecotech India.

The speakers also observed that while good progress was achieved in the urban reforms, it was absolutely necessary that the states/city urban local bodies, which had not completed the reforms by 2008, should complete then within the timeframe (2012).

The potential of decentralisation was called for harnessing the local level as the fourth tier of governance for monitoring and execution of projects, experts opined. The speakers suggested that there should be a continuous communication channel with the citizens and the area sabha representative groups for effective institutional conduct.

Meeting highlights

* Imminent need for integrated development of lakes, rivers and coastal fronts as part of the overall transformation of cities with healthy, clean waterfront

* Cities with vision documents are coming forward with best practices and projects under JNNURM

* Umeed initiative of Ahmedabad has proved to be a major source for job creation, poverty alleviation