Pune: PMC, IITM Hold Workshop To Chart Roadmap For Tackling Urban Environmental Challenges
Pune: PMC, IITM Hold Workshop To Chart Roadmap For Tackling Urban Environmental Challenges
Pune, February 12, 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), organised a one-day workshop on “Urban Environmental Challenges in Pune and the Way Forward” on Thursday.
The workshop was conducted under the Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), with support from the Confederation of Indian Industry – Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development (CII-CESD).
Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, IAS, attended the programme as the chief guest, while IITM Director Dr Suryachandra Rao presided over the event.
Focus on Air Quality and Sustainable Mobility
In his inaugural address, the Municipal Commissioner said Pune is currently facing rapid urbanisation, rising air pollution, traffic congestion, increasing energy consumption and the impacts of climate change. He emphasised that air quality management requires not only monitoring but also data-driven decision-making, inter-departmental coordination and effective implementation.
He underlined the need to prioritise clean energy adoption, promotion of electric vehicles, strengthening of public transport systems and encouragement of active mobility solutions.
Technical Sessions and Expert Deliberations
The workshop featured technical sessions and panel discussions on air quality management, clean energy, sustainable transport solutions and nature-based solutions. Experts, industry representatives, researchers and students presented their work through poster presentations.
An interactive session was held to deliberate on concrete action plans for sustainable urban development.
Key Outcomes and Future Roadmap
During the workshop, the following directions were outlined:
- The Municipal Commissioner reiterated PMC’s commitment to making Pune cleaner, greener and climate-resilient through science-based policies, institutional collaboration and long-term planning.
- PMC and IITM will jointly establish a working group and action group to address air pollution and environmental issues. The group will include NGOs, housing societies, educational experts and scientists.
- A scientific action plan will be prepared for pollution control in the city, with implementation targets set at three, six and 12 months.
- IITM will present scientific data and recommended measures to PMC for reducing air pollution, which will be reviewed and implemented accordingly.
- Authorities stressed the need for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives to ensure effective implementation and public participation.
- Officials noted that Pune’s urban growth has expanded nearly fourfold in the past five years, highlighting the urgent need for mitigation and adaptive measures, especially as urban populations contribute significantly to economic output.
- Plans were discussed to increase green cover by utilising amenity spaces, create permeable surfaces for groundwater recharge, rejuvenate city lakes and provide updates on PMC’s river improvement projects.
- Detailed discussions were also held on water consumption patterns, construction and demolition waste management, and initiatives under Pune’s Mission Parivartan Cell.
Officials said the workshop marked an important step toward developing coordinated, science-based strategies to address Pune’s growing environmental challenges.
