Pune becomes first city in Maharashtra to get IGBC Platinum Certification

Pune : Pune became the first city in Maharashtra and only the second in India after Rajkot to get the coveted Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum Certification under the IGBC Green Existing Cities Rating System.

The Platinum Certification was presented to Pune Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar by Rajya Sabha member Vandana Chavan at a program titled ‘Abhinandan – Felicitation of Green Pioneers’, jointly organized by Confederation of Indian Industries, Pune chapter of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and CREDAI Pune Metro on late Wednesday evening at Hotel Sheraton Grand.

S Chockalingam, Director General, YASHADA, M Anand, Deputy Executive Director, CII-IGBC, Pradeep Bhargava, Chairman, IGBC Green Factory Rating Systems, JP Shroff, Chairman, IGBC, Pune Chapter, Poorva Keskar, IGBC Pune Chapter Co-Chair, Pranati Shroff, Core Committee member, IGBC Pune Chapter , CREDAI Pune Metro President Ranjit Naiknavare, along with CREDAI Pune Metro officials including Director General DK Abhyankar, General Manager Urmila Jhulka and Labour Welfare Officer Sameer Parkhi were present on the occasion.

CREDAI Pune Metro was also felicitated on the occasion for its contribution in helping Pune get the IGBC Platinum Certification. CREDAI Pune Metro President Ranjit Naiknavare accepted the honour from Vandana Chavan.

The IGBC awarded the Certification after studying various initiatives undertaken by the Pune Municipal Corporation for Air Quality Improvement, Urban Green Cover City Soil Conservation, Preservation of Water Bodies, Water Efficiency, Ecology and its Preservation among others, It also studied Social and Citizen Engagement initiatives undertaken by the civic body with regard to going ‘Green’.

The factors, which were taken into consideration, were outlined by Pranati Shroff.

Addressing the gathering, Vandana Chavan termed the Certification as another feather which was added to Pune’s cap.

“Pune Municipal Corporation is one of the iconic Municipal Corporation. Pune was the first in the country to make an environment status report. It also was the first to do a Carbon Inventory. We also started a decentralized system for garbage disposal. We also did mapping of groundwater. Pune is also the first city to give a 20 percent rebate for steps taken for vermin-composting, solar water, sewage treatment,” Chavan said.

Chavan also termed climate change as the biggest challenge that the city is facing and efforts must be taken to preserve planet earth.  

“Pune is a very important city. It is still voted every year as the most livable city and we have to make sure that it remains the most livable city. We have to go greener and become green and make everybody green that is what we should aim at. Pune Municipal Corporation and all our officers, employees are working to make sure that this most livable tag remains with Pune only,” Vikram Kumar said, while also outlining the various initiatives taken by the civic body.

Pradeep Bhargava on his part added that to sustain the green tag, contribution is needed from all the stakeholders and also from the adjoining areas of the city.

JP Shroff in his opening remarks said Pune was a city which has taken so much effort to become green.

“PMC wanted to do it, CREDAI Pune Metro was keen to support it and IGBC wanted it to happen. The three associations worked hand-in-hand for two years to get this Platinum Certification and I am grateful to PMC and CREDAI Pune Metro to make this happen. It is a very big movement for us,” JP Shroff said.  

CREDAI Pune Metro President Ranjit Naiknavare said that the real estate body always supports the green movement.

“We will continue this movement and I promise you on behalf of every developer in this city that we will contribute in a comprehensive manner to ensure that real-estate is carried out in a sustainable manner and I assure you all my team members have always supported this cause,” Ranjit Naiknavare said.

“I am also sure that every city, every tehsil and every district in Maharashtra will follow suit and every city in Maharashtra will be IGBC rated in 10-15 years. I am very optimistic that this will happen,” he added.

The Vilas Javadekar Developers, Gangotree Homes, Amar Builders, Kohinoor Group and Malpani Group, were also felicitated on the occasion by Vandana Chavan and Vikram Kumar. The concluding remarks were made by Poorva Keskar.