The ClimateSmart Cities Assessment by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has awarded 1,105 out of 2,800 marks to the city. The mark equals three stars out of five.

The Ministry had assessed cities that had implemented projects under the Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation on urban planning, energy and green buildings, mobility and air quality, water management and waste management.

On the urban planning parameter, the Ministry had awarded three stars to the city, energy and green buildings two stars, mobility and air quality three stars, water management one star and waste management three stars.

For the one star on the water management parameter, the Ministry had awarded 120 marks out of 600. Of the six indicators that make up the parameter, the Ministry has awarded 20 out of 100 for water resource management, 50 out of 100 for non-revenue water, 50 out of 100 for waste water recycle and reuse, zero out of 100 for flood/water stagnation risk management, zero out of 100 for energy-efficient water supply system and zero out of 100 energy-efficient wastewater management system.

The other parameter where the Ministry’s ranking of the city is a cause for concern is energy and green buildings – two stars. Again, of the six indicators that make up the parameter, the Ministry has awarded less than 50% marks for total electrical energy in the city derived from renewable sources, fossil fuel consumption in city, promotion of green buildings and green building adoption.

The sources said the Corporation should also focus on dumpsite scientific remediation, scientific landfill availability, extent of dry waste processed and recycled, for the score was zero or less than 10.

The Corporation should study in detail the Ministry’s rank and take into account its recommendations. For, the parameters for which the Ministry had ranked poorly the city concerned areas where the Corporation had spent crores of rupees under the Smart Cities Mission.

The Corporation had invested heavily in improving water bodies in the city and drinking water distribution under the 24×7 drinking water supply scheme. Notwithstanding the investment, the Corporation had fared badly, which meant that the Corporation had poorly spent the money or did not furnish the correct data to the Ministry.

There were also areas where the Ministry had awarded very high marks to the city – energy efficient street lighting in city under the energy and green buildings parameter – 100/100 marks, proportion of green cover under the urban planning parameter – 100/100 marks, extent of wet waste processed under the waste management parameter – 125/150 marks.