The Times of India 03.12.2013
BBMP hopes to learn from San Francisco
BANGALORE: After Salem, it's San Francisco. Mayor BS Sathyanarayana is gearing up to visit the Golden Gate city to learn about waste disposal technology. Not so long ago, our corporators went to Salem at a cost of Rs 3 lakh to study its solid waste management unit. The mayor scrapped the Salem plan one month ago after finding it's not feasible.
The BBMP signed an MoU with San Francisco on cooperation in waste management and recycling here on Monday. Both countries will exchange technological knowledge in SWM to manage garbage better and to encourage trade and investment partnerships.
San Francisco will help BBMP on technologies for collection and processing of recyclables, marketing of recycled products and assistance for processing of compostable materials. Both cities will work on development and implementation of policies to encourage greater consumer and producer responsibility to help each other achieve zero waste goals.
San Francisco also signed MoU with 11 government agencies in transport, health and other sectors.
Objectives of MoUs
- Tourism: Exchange of cultural programmes and performances, facilitating artistes of both cities in training and sharing in Asian Art Museum, San Francisco and Bangalore-based institutions
- Visveswaraya Trade Promotion Centre: Both cities will work towards opening offices to encourage trade, investment, partnerships, and commercial activities
- Kannada and culture department: Promotion of culture of both countries; encourage artistic and cultural aspects
- Health: Working groups in each city to promote telemedicine, innovation, entrepreneurship, best practices and protocols
- Karnataka govt and TieSilicon Valley XBE-Cross Border Entrepreneurship Indian Steps and Business Incubators' Association: To usher in new Indian entrepreneurs who think global and transform India from service driven industries to innovations
- Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation: Improve intelligent transport system, urban mass transport system, and master planning of integrated multi-model rapid transport system
- Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd: Focus on renewable energy integration into existing transmission scheme, load dispatching using weather forecasting, and R&D centre of transmission system
- Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd: Development of business and industrial parks with private participation and development of gas distribution
- Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd: Collaboration for smart grid feasibility and implementation, demand side management, energy efficiency programme and knowledge transfer on energy solutions.
- Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd: Renewable energy opportunities, customer-focused solar rooftop schemes and renewable energy incubation centres
- Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board: Development of water shortage contingency plan and shortage of allocation plan including procedures of water availability assessment and declaration of shortages
