Pune – The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) launched the ‘Cleaner Air Better Life (CABL) Pune’ initiative in collaboration with the Pune Municipal Corporation today. A crucial step towards cleaner air and sustainable development in Pune, the programme will leverage evidence-based and multi-stakeholder collaborative approaches to support National Clean Air Programme implementation.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report states that most Indian cities do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. In the 2021-22 fiscal year, only 38 out of 131 cities in India met their annual pollution reduction targets. This is a grave issue which calls for urgent attention and action to reduce air pollution.
At the launch, Chief Guest Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO of Cummins Inc., said, “At Cummins, we cannot achieve our mission of making people’s lives better by powering a more prosperous world without doing our part to protect the planet. The launch of the ‘Cleaner Air Better Life’ (CABL) Pune programme is a reflection of that and symbolizes a defining moment in our collective efforts toward creating a more sustainable world with cleaner air and a better quality of life for our people and communities.”
The multi-stakeholder collaboration platform under CABL Pune will include public agencies, educational institutions, civil society, and industry. By working together, the initiative will assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of interventions, identify transportation bottlenecks, and implement smart and cutting-edge solutions to address various sources of air pollution.
“CII’s ‘Cleaner Air Better Life’ (CABL) national initiative unites diverse stakeholders and changemakers on a common platform, committed to elevating air quality nationwide. We are delighted to bring the CABL program to Pune to improve air quality and create a healthier environment for its citizens. We are confident that Pune will lead all National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) cities in India,” said Ashwath Ram, Chairman of CII Cleaner Air Better Life initiative and Co-Convener, Cleaner Air Better Life Pune talking to over 180 attendees at the launch of the program at Maharshi Karve Stri Shikshan Sanstha (MKSSS) Cummins College of Engineering for Women (CCEW), Pune.
Highlighting the way Pune has emerged as a frontrunner in implementing innovative clean air solutions, Mr Vikram Kumar, Municipal Commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation and Co-Convener, Cleaner Air Better Life Pune said, “The Cleaner Air Better Life Pune is a significant milestone that brings together the collective strength of the government and the private sector to combat air pollution. This convergence of efforts will help us devise data-driven strategies that yield tangible results in air quality improvement.”
The program will deliver cutting-edge decision support systems and innovative pilots. It will actively drive voluntary commitments from stakeholders toward reducing air pollution, influencing adherence to existing policies, and scaling advocacy for newer policies.
Launching the initiative, Ms. Seema Arora, Deputy Director General at CII noted that “CII Cleaner Air Better Life will leverage its own expertise and multi-stakeholder structure to leverage resources within CII’s wide network of partners and members for practical works to improve air quality while working with the Governments to create an ecosystem where early-stage ideas could be put to test at street level and scientifically validated ideas get tried for citywide adoption.”
As part of the event, a “Clean Air: Mission Pune Ideathon” was conducted for the students from the Cummins College of Engineering for Women (CCEW) to inspire ideas on the themes of Clean Transportation, Clean Industry and Construction, Clean City, and Clean Policies. The participants were encouraged to think creatively while considering the technological feasibility, economic viability, and scalability of their solutions, keeping in mind the context and challenges of air pollution in Pune City. Ms. Anagha Kumar and Ms. Gauri Kalmath from CCEW’s team ‘Genspark’ won first place at the event for their idea on public awareness and policy initiatives under the theme of clean policies. The winners received a sponsored trip to New Delhi for the CII Sustainability Conclave as well as a letter of recommendation from the CII and Cummins leaders.
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