RMC invites agencies to quantify carbon credits

Raipur: Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) has invited expression of interest (EOI) from empanelled agencies to calculate the quantity of carbon credit deposits and generation in Raipur, so that the carbon credits could be sold to earn revenue and funds are used on the various development works meant for the public.
RMC commissioner Mayank Chaturvedi told TOI that an empanelled agency certified by the government of India will be picked for the estimation of carbon credit so far deposited as well as carbon credit generation in Raipur.We have floated the EOI in the second week of this month and as per rule an empanelled agency will be selected after 21 days from the date of EOI. We had to go for the tender after Madhya Pradesh’s Indore Municipal Corporation demanded 50% of the amount being earned from the selling of carbon credits. I had talked to two agencies of Nagpur and one in Mumbai to ask if they are interested in working with the RMC during the process of EOI and they may participate in it. The agency working at least cost will be awarded the work, said the RMC commissioner.
A carbon emitting industry can purchase carbon credit from the carbon credit generating agencies to compensate for its carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere, the commissioner said.
RMC will get carbon credit for its greenery, said the commissioner, adding, if a tree is planted today its carbon credit will be calculated after a decade or so. We will promote plantations in and around the city. The carbon credit transaction system, once implemented, will promote good practice like plantation and installation of environment-friendly equipment by households. Collecting carbon credit information is a complex process and to find it, a whole team of experts has to be engaged, said the commissioner. RMC will be the first urban body in Chhattisgarh and perhaps the fourth in the country to come up with a carbon credit scheme which is already adopted by many developed nations starting from the United Nations, said the commissioner.
Notably, Indore is the first city in the country to start carbon credit transactions two years ago with an earning of Rs 80 lakh. This year Indore has earned Rs 8 crore through this. Inspired by this, RMC studied the project and started their work six months back.
Elaborating on the carbon credit, the RMC commissioner said that the nations that signed the Kyoto and Paris agreements have strict laws to curb carbon emissions.
Companies operating in these countries have to pay higher taxes for emitting more carbon or greenhouse gases than the prescribed limit. As an alternative, companies buy carbon credits. There are many industries in the country which are emitting more carbon than the prescribed limit. Such companies need carbon credits, said the commissioner. Carbon credits are given to projects that prevent carbon emissions. Solar panels in government buildings, sewerage treatment plants in rivers and ponds, better waste management, promotion of electric vehicles and greenery in Raipur, all these will prove to be effective in achieving maximum carbon credits.