Green advisers for Pimpri Chinchwad

Pimpri Chinchwad: The civic body’s budget document, presented by municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar last week, has suggested appointment of environmental consultants for undertaking biodiversity studies and preparing local biodiversity strategy action plan in Pimpri Chinchwad city.
The document states that consultants have to assess green spaces, prepare citizens’ biodiversity register and undertake projects for implementing local biodiversity strategy action plan for five years.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation had invited bids for biodiversity studies and it will be completed within six months, environment department officials said.

The civic body will provide information about GIS-basdf map layers. The consultants will calculate the city’s biodiversity index on the lines of conventions on biological diversity, prepare detailed project reports and indicators for strengths and weaknesses, officials said.

The budget document plans to undertake Aichi targets by 2020, as outlined at the convention on biological diversity at Nagoya, Japan. The targets relate to safeguarding ecosystem services, species and genetic diversity, enhancement of benefits to citizens from biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Over the years, the garden department has developed over 70 gardens, rivers — Pavana, Indrayani and Mula — natural areas, and four major lakes, Bhosari Sahal Kendra talav, Bird Valley Park at Sambhajinagar and Durgadevi Garden at Nigdi.