Government of India Government of India

Environmental Planning

The Environmental Planning Division (EPD) is one of the important divisions of Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) and major function is to facilitate Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in all urban environmental planning and management issues & policies. EPD provides a holistic and integrated framework to achieve smart, inclusive, sustainable solutions in order to create a Sustainable Green Community. Environmental Planning Division also participates and interacts environmental programmes, projects, conferences, seminar, capacity building and control of pollution with Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Centre and State Pollution Control Boards, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and other similar agencies.

The EPD is the pioneer for many environmental development projects, Guidelines. One of the good examples is Coastal Zone Management in India. The TCPO has brought out a comprehensive report on Coastal Zone Management Plan in India, On February 7, 1991, Ministry of Environment and Forests through a notification under Section 3(1) and Section 3(2)(v) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rule 5(3)(d) of Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 declaring Coastal Stretches asCoastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and regulating Activities in CRZ. The Ministry of Environment and Forest subsequently approved these CZMP’s in September 1996.

Environmental Planning Division (EPD) is headed by Town and Country Planner (TCP) and assisted by one Associate Town and Country Planner.

Member in Various Environment Management Committee

  • Respondent for Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Govt. of India on hearings by Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) New Delhi.
  • Member of Expert Committee set up by Hon’ble Allahabad High Court w.r.to PIL by Koutilya Society regarding conservation and restoration of Ghats of Banaras, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Water Resources.
  • Member of Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Expert Committee set up by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
  • Member of the Committee constituted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on “Beat the Plastic Pollution.”(A Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change).

Major Projects on hand

  • In order to curb the pollution in urban areas of India a pilot project on “Smart Urban Green Community (SUGC) for Abatement of Vehicular Pollution in Delhi.” is undertaken by EPD.
  • A Climate change project for urban areas EPD has initiated a Project “Combating Urban Heat Island effects through Town Planning measures”.
  • Respondent for Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Govt. of India on hearings by Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) New Delhi, on& Case O.A No. 171 of 2015 and M.A& in the matter of Pandalaneni Srimannarayan Vs. State Government of Andhra Pradesh and Others regarding& environmental& impact due to development of new capital city of& Amravati, Andhra Pradesh.
  • DPRs on redevelopment of& Varanasi Ghats on river Ganga appraised and comments submitted to Expert Committee set up by Hon’ble Allahabad High Court w.r.to PIL by Koutilya Society regarding conservation and restoration of Ghats of Banaras, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Water Resources.
  • At organizational level EPD is also taking various activities/ initiatives to “Beat the Plastic Pollution”, under the direction of Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
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