Japan to help Gujarat in smart community project

A consortium of Japanese companies is preparing a report on the feasibility of smart-community development project in Gujarat, said Masaki Ida, Chief Director of Japan External Trade Organisation.

"The consortium is expected to be ready with the report by this fiscal-end," Ida told PTI at Vibrant Gujarat Summit-2011 here. Among other things, the project aims at increasing recycling of industrial waste.

According to preliminary estimate of the Japanese experts, of the 6.23 million tonnes of hazardous waste generated in India annually, 22 per cent comes from Gujarat.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard had been signed by Japan and India in April last year during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan.

Following which, Gujarat government signed an MoU for developing Surat as eco-town on the lines of 'Kitakyushu Eco Town' in Japan and development of Dahej on the lines of '3R oriented' environmentally smart-community development concept prevalent in Japan.

"We have just started the work in Gujarat after the signing of MoU between the two governments. A lot of e-waste is generated in Surat and in future, we aim to recycle it. The idea is to have a 'recycle industrial area' for effective and safe disposal of waste," Junichi Sono, Deputy Director, Kitakyushu Asian Centre for Low Carbon Society, said.

"We have helped authorities in Surat to prepare a master plan for the city," Sono said. The project at Dahej focuses on development of the town as a model centre for reduced emissions, re-use of waste, and recycling of industrial waste.

"3R means 'to reduce, reuse and recycle'," said Junya Kikuhara, Manager, Environment Policy Team, Ex Corporation. Dahej is a fast emerging industrial town and Gujarat Maritime Board has decided to accord priority to development of Marine Ship Building Park there. Around 100 delegates from Japan are participating in the VGS-2011.

Japan is also a partner country of Gujarat for this summit, besides Canada.