The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has chosen Ludhiana among 12 cities in the country for a pilot project to mitigate the growing impact of heat waves in this part of the region.
For this, the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana will get Rs 5 crore from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for the installation of cool and green roofs on residential and public buildings, additional hydration points and public toilets, and upgraded weather-monitoring systems.
Municipal Commissioner Ojasvi Alankar told The Tribune that the project aims to cool down the ‘Heat Resilient Cities’, which have recorded significantly higher temperatures than nearby rural areas.
“The project would be implemented over a period of 15 months. Its primary objective is to enable the city to become heat-resilient and climate-responsive through proper planning,” said Ojasvi.
The MC chief further gave an example of the city’s Zone D, which has relatively better green area, compared to densely populated pockets in Zone A or B. “The emphasis would be on providing relief to vulnerable sections of society, including those who cannot afford coolers or ACs,” he said.
Under the prescribed framework, the grant will fund the installation of cool and green roofs, creation of shaded public areas and expansion of public toilets. Before initiating the projects, the MCL will conduct a city-level baseline assessment of heat-stress hotspots.
Ojasvi said that the initiative would help improve the city’s ability to deal with climate change while enhancing citizens’ standard of living.
“Scientific changes, combined with modern technology and innovation, can help reduce the impact of heat waves. The project is expected to address urban heat stress in industrial cities like Ludhiana to an extent," he added.
Environmentalist says it will serve little purpose
Environmentalist and agricultural scientist Devinder Sharma said, “It is good that Ludhiana has been selected for the the project. But how would these schemes benefit? First we cut the green cover mercilessly and then come-up with such projects to get respite. Why cannot governments think of preserving the trees and green cover? The green-cover on rooftops in a few pockets will serve the entire purpose in Ludhiana?" asked Sharma.
