ACTION PLAN

FOR
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION, HERITAGE CONS
ERVATION AND BEAUTIFICATION
OF SHIMLA CITY : A WAY FORWARD FOR CON
SERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION O
F BIODIVERSITY

K.K. SHARMA HAS

ASSISTANT COMMISIONER
MC SHIMLA, HP INDIA
1. PROJECT PROFILE

Project Title : Environment Protection, Heritage Conservation

and Beautification of Shimla : A Way Forward
For Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of
Biodiversity

Target Area : Limits of Municipal Corporation Shimla

Cost : Approximately Rs 25,000,000 (5,500,000 USD)

Duration : 5 years (2010-2015)

Beneficiaries : Local residents and Tourists

Implementing : Municipal Corporation

Agency
2. BACKGROUND AND ISSUE

Population : Approximately 3,000,000 (including

floating)

No. of HH : Approximately 50,000

Land Area : 35.34 sq-kms

Main Industry : Tourism

Issues of : Waste Management

Biodiversity Environment Protection
Heritage Conservation
Parks/Gardens Management
3. GOAL

Clean, green and hygienic city with emphasis on more

and more afforestation drive, enforcement of Building
Bye-Laws, implementation of environment and other
related statutes, conservation of heritage in terms of
monuments and cultural legacies, etc. Public
participation, introduction of public private
partnership (PPP MODE) and general awareness on
conservation and utilization of biodiversity.
4. OBJECTIVES

To ensure complete sanitation in the City.

Implementation of Solid Waste Management Plan.
Involvement of Elected Representatives, Residents
Welfare Associations, NGOs, Educational Institutions,
Government and Public Institutions.
Mobilization of financial resources.
Promoting public awareness.
Eco-Tourism.
Restoration of ecologically degraded area for
environmental improvement.
To prevent further damage and to conserve natural
and man made heritage.
To nurture biological diversity, gene pool and other
resources through environmentally sustainable
development and management of ecosystem,
development of parks and gardens.
To protect the scenic landscapes, area of geomorphical
significance, unique and representative biomass and
ecosystems, heritage sites/ structures and areas of
cultural heritage importance.
Enforcement of laws and good practices.
To prevent and control future deterioration in land
and water resources.
5. METHODOLOGY

The action plan adopts the SWOT analysis

methodology to further identify areas of
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
related to sanitation, hygiene, protection and
conservation of environment, ecosystem,
heritage and further to preserve the pristine glory
of Shimla with a focus on conservation and
utilization of biodiversity.
6. SWOT ANALYSIS

Abundant forests
 Natural resources
Tourism potential
High literacy rate
Job opportunities
Favourable climate conditions
Rich heritage
Capital City
Strict building by-laws
JNNURM city
Hilly terrains
Complete ban on logging/felling of trees
Complete ban on use of all types of Polythene
bags
Collection of segregated waste from each
household/establishment in place
Zoning of areas for undertaking construction
activities
One of the oldest municipalities of India
Partial success in municipal solid waste management
Excessive urbanization
Weak enforcement of Building Bye- Laws
Dual control over the implementation of laws and schemes
Unseasonal weather/ climate change
Effect of incessant rain on land
Vulnerability to natural disasters like cloud bursts and
earthquakes, etc.
Human activities responsible for environmental degradation
Menace of monkeys and stray dogs
Traffic congestion
 Old city
 Inadequate parking
 Ineffective implementation of statutes
 Lack of coordination between Local Government and State
Government
 Depletion of traditional water resources
 Forest fire hazards
 Excessive use of concrete material for construction of buildings
 Lesser involvement of NGOs/ voluntary organizations
 Lack of professional manpower
 Minimal involvement of urban local body in biological diversity
 Demographic pressure
Adequate tourism potential
Homogenous climate
Available skilled manpower
Rich heritage
Sloppy/Hilly terrains
25 Municipal wards
Ward level committees
JNNURM city of the country
Strict environmental laws
Facilitation on account of zoning of areas
Potential or rainwater harvesting and waste water
utilization
Afforestation drive
Easy access to the State Government and Authorities
Public-Private Partnership Mode
Urban-Rural Linkage
Artefacts and handicrafts based on diversed rich
culture
Various educational institutions
Diverse issues of urban Local Government
and State Government
Increasing unemployment
Pull and Push factor
Perpetual stress of increasing population
Ecological threats
Financial Constraints
Restricted development activities on account
of strict forest laws
Heterogenous animal laws
Increasing fiscal loss between receipts and
payments
Silting problem in supply of drinking water
Conflicting Building laws for Government and
private individuals
Lack of micro-level planning
No botanical gardens representing the local
flora
No energy recovery system
Air and land pollution
Promotional activities for ecotourism
Conservation of heritage sites and buildings
through regulation to ensure that these are not
demolished, encroached upon and affected by
indiscriminate construction and pollution.
Giving impetus to rich cultural heritage.
Stock taking of buildings, area, monuments of
heritage value of the city.
Provision of rain water harvesting in each
building and commercial establishment to be
ensured to be implemented.
Public Private Partnership in promoting
ecotourism, heritage conservation and solid
waste management, etc., to be strengthened.
Involvement of educational institutions,
various Government agencies, NGOs for
conservation and utilization of biological
diversity.
More and more green spaces to be created and
deforestation to be strictly checked
Urban-rural linkage for resource management
to be fostered.
Environment conducive handicrafts to be
encouraged
Ward level committees to be made effectively
functional.
Participation of elected representatives,
NGOs, etc to be patronized for protection of
ecosystem, encompassing propagation of
ecology including sanitation, etc.
City to be made free from polythenes and all
slopes/drains to be made free from all types of
littering of waste.
Capacity building in terms of training, research,
exposure visits for taking up environmental and
heritage issues/programmes
Water conservation measures such as discipline on
use of water, economising the consumption of
water in households and other institutions
including commercial establishments and
appropriate recycling measures for sustainable use
of water.
Strict implementation of zoning of areas such as
heritage/core area, restricted area and open area
Steps for rain water harvesting/ storage and waste
water management for its sustainable use.
Developing coping mechanisms for future
climate changes as a result increased emission
of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.
Implementation of solid waste management
plan
Enforcement of environmental laws
Ensuring public awareness
Public people participation for execution of
large projects
Conservation of heritage monuments, sites,
buildings through regulation and encouraging
cultural heritage
Strengthening urban local body (MC Shimla)
to ensure effective decentralization and
optimal resource management.
Urban rural linkage for resource management
to be strengthened.
Emulation and support for protecting
traditional skills and knowledge conservation
of biodiversity.
Professional manpower to be engaged for
conservation and sustainable utilization of
biodiversity on the aforesaid issues.
Concerted efforts for development and
propagation of non-conventional renewable
energy generation systems.
Encouraging eco-friendly tourism and
pilgrimage.
City to be made free from polythene bags
Developing parkings, parks and gardens
7. ACTION

Planning and execution of activities related to collection,

segregation, storage, transportation and disposal of solid
waste. (formulated)
Door to Door Garbage Collection Scheme launched
 Shimla Environment, Heritage Conservation and Beautification
Society under the aegis of the MC Shimla already made functional
 Distribution of two different coloured dustbins green (for
biodegradable waste) and yellow (for non biodegradable
waste ) to each household/establishment(already
started)
 User charges to be collected.
 Recycling
7. ACTION

Community Participation
 Involvement of elected representatives
 Resident Welfare Association
 Educational Institutions
 Government and Private Institutions
Infrastructure
 Purchase of specially designed vehicles
 Setting up of modern solid waste (bioconversion) plant
 Landfill site
 Engaging required manpower
7. ACTION

Enforcement Mechanism
 Strict implementation of Municipal Solid Waste
(Management/Handling) Rules 2000 and other related
provisions of the HPMC Act and Bye-Laws.
 Enforcement of Himachal Pradesh Non Biodegradable Garbage
(Control) Act 1995 and Rules made thereunder particularly for
banning the use of polythene bags.
 Community participation
 Public awareness
 Complete sanitation, hygiene , disposal of garbage and recycling
compatible to environment will help protect ecosystem thereby
to conserve and sustainable use of biodiversity.
7. ACTION

Forest areas presently with the State Forest

Department being taken back with the MC
Shimla.
Efforts to persuade the Government to restore
catchment areas to MC Shimla.
Zoning of planning areas to be strongly enforced.
Proposal to amend the HPMC Act for overall
administration and regulation of Building Bye-
Laws of the entire city with the MC Shimla.
Rainwater harvesting in each building to be made
mandatory.
7. ACTION

Storm water drainage and its utilization by

constructing watersheds (check dams to be
introduced).
Complete sanitation of the city and ban on use
of polythene to be strictly enforced.
Ecotourism to be encouraged.
Afforestation drive to be excelled.
Clean and green environment shall be a
tribute to biodiversity
7. ACTION

Mapping and gazetting of all heritage

sites, buildings, monuments in the city.
More emphasis on cultural heritage.
Close coordination with the State
Language Art and Culture Department
for propagation and conservation of
heritage.
Local traditional handicrafts and
artefacts to be encouraged.
7. ACTION

PARKS/GARDENS MANAGEMENT
Liaison with the District Administration
for organizing fairs, cultural nights, etc.
in the city.
Resurrection of heritage monuments
with the help of State Tourism
Department.
Conservation of heritage and reviving
enriched traditional ethos shall be a step
forward for biodiversity.
7. ACTION
PARKS/GARDENS MANAGEMENT
Potential sites of parks and gardens to be
identified and developed on PPP Mode.
Variety of flowers, herbal and ornamental
plants to be planted.
Traditional cultural heritage to be exhibited.
Primary focus on strengthening of
ecosystem.
Hilly slopes to be beautified with lots of
green vegetation.
7. ACTION
PARKS/GARDENS MANAGEMENT
Good practices to be followed while
developing.
Parks and gardens shall help sustain
nature’s bestowed gifts and shall add in
conservation and utilization of
biodiversity.
7. ACTION

Public awareness primarily for sanitation,

environment protection and heritage
conservation to be strongly emphasized.
Schools, colleges, universities, resident
welfare organizations, associations, NGOs,
elected representatives etc. to be associated
for these issues.
All statutory provisions regulating
sanitation, environment, heritage to be
strictly implemented.
7. ACTION

Ensuring accountability of the

concerned official(s)responsible for such
enforcement.
Strengthening of public complaints
redressal mechanism.
Responsiveness and responsibility
factors in the official system to be strived.
Propagation of biodiversity .
7. ACTION

Austerity measures to be adopted.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) to be given
priority.
Coordination between the Urban Local
Government and the State Government.
Organizing seminars, conferences, etc. for
active support of the general public in
implementation of aforesaid issues.
Suggestions elicited to be weighed and
incorporated accordingly.
Private professional skills to be harnessed.
 PROJECT APPROXIMATE COST
Rupee USD
WASTE MANAGEMENT
3,000,000 70,000
(recurring monthly
expenses on MC
staff and others)
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
10,000,000 250,000
HERITAGE CONSERVATION
10,000,000 250,000
PARKS GARDEN
MANAGEMENT
50,000,000 125,000
ENFORCEMENT
Government PUBLIC
INTERFACE