Swiss Minister Witnesses Interventions on Waste and Water Management in Coimbatore
Vice President of the Federal Council and Minister for Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication, Switzerland, Ms. Simonetta Sommaruga visited Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, as part of her India visit to focus on areas concerning clean technology and the railways.
Ms. Sommaruga was shown the work being done in the city under the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) supported CapaCITIES project.
His Excellency Dr. Andreas Baum, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan, Deputy Head of Mission Ms. Tamara Mona and Head of Swiss Development Cooperation Ms. Marylaure Crettaz were also part of the visiting delegation, which also included Swiss media and business delegates.
Ms. Sommaruga had a meeting with Coimbatore Commissioner Mr. J Sravan Kumar and other officials, where she was briefed on the functions of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and key projects such as the Smart Cities Mission. Mr. Kumar explained the sharing of finances by the state and central governments and the CCMC’s contribution to various projects supported by SDC.
The meeting was followed by a visit to Singanallur Lake to discuss the CapaCITIES project work in water management and lake improvement with the stakeholders as well as the SMART Cities project work undertaken by the city.
The Commissioner and the Project Management Consultant – Smart City Mission team made a presentation on Coimbatore City Urban Initiatives under the Smart Cities Mission for the visitors’ benefit. The team showcased completed and ongoing projects and their impact on environmental sustainability.
An overview of the city lakes and their significance were also shared with the Vice President.
Later, Ms. Sommaruga inaugurated a biomethanation plant, the working of which was demonstrated to her. She also met local stakeholders involved in SUNYA implementation at the field level. The officials and the CapaCITIES project team explained the solid waste management and SUNYA activities being carried out in the city.