Awareness programme on Smart City
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 06 2015: A one day media awareness programme on Smart City was held today at Manipur Press Club here under the aegis of the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU).

MAHUD Director N Gitkumar, IMC CEO Ng Uttam, AMWJU president Wangkhemcha Shamjai, Ichel Express Editor Irengbam Arun and ISTV Chief Editor Brozendro Ningomba attended the programme as presidium members.

Ng Uttam opened the programme by giving a power point presentation on the concept of Smart City.

There is no universal definition of a Smart City.

The concept and understanding of Smarty City varies from country to country.

Imphal is among the 100 cities selected by the Ministry of Urban Development from across the country for the Smart City project which would be implemented in phase manner.

Starting from the current financial year, Rs 100 crore would be invested in each Smart city every year till 2019-20.The Smart City Project would be implemented in 20 selected cities in the first phase, Uttam said.

The structure, concept and lay-out of a Smart City should be decided by the city itself .

The core infrastructure of a Smart city are adequate power and water supply, proper sanitation system including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport system, houses affordable by economically weaker sections and advanced IT connectivity.

Participatory and e-governance, sustainable ecology, security of citizens particularly women, children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, improved health care and educational facilities are some other mandatory features of a Smart City, Uttam continued.

Strategically, Smart cities are divided into two broad categories namely Area Based Smart City and Pan City.

Area Based Smart City can be developed through three models viz; Retrofitting, Re-development and Greenfield development.

Retrofitting pertains to development of a Smart City through necessary modifications to the existing structure while Re-development means development of a totally new city after abandoning the existing structures.

Greenfield development means development of a city on vacant areas, the CEO elaborated.

For successful adoption of either Pan City or Area Based Smart City models, the Ministry has laid out six 'Smart Solutions' viz; e-governance and citizen services, waste management, water management, energy management, urban mobility and others.

Uttam said that every suggestion given by citizens would be taken into account.

Both Irengbam Arun and Brozendro Ningomba maintained that Retrofitting approach would be more appropriate for development of Imphal as a Smart city.

MAHUD Director N Gitkumar also gave a power point presentation which was followed by an interaction session.

a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased.

Resolving that Amumacha's body would not be claimed until this demand is translated into action, the meeting also decided to demand life imprisonment of Amumacha.

Setting up of separate cells to detain murderers and taking up steps to award capital punishment to murderers were also demanded by the locals.

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