A group of 21 elected representatives and functionaries from Kozhikode and Palakkad Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Kerala were on a three-day exposure visit to Odisha to see the best practice adopted by the Odisha government on sewage and septage management, solid waste management, drinking water supply, city beautification and heritage management in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Puri.

The delegation from Kerala includes Kozhikode Municipal Corporation mayor Beena Philip, Palakkad municipality chairperson Priya Ajayan, and executive director of Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Babu Ambat.

Centre for Environment and Development (CED), a national training entity empanelled by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, organised this exposure visit as part of the Individual Capacity Building Programme under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0).

“The team visited the sewage treatment plants, wealth centres, and Smart Janpath in Bhubaneswar and also visited Puri to see the Drink from Tap project. They also went to Konark and Cuttack,” said government officials.

The visiting members had an interactive session with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayor Sulochana Das. Das briefed the team on the journey of urban transformation that is happening in Odisha.

“The ULBs are the service delivery and action points for implementing plans and strategies to overcome challenges of urbanisation,” she said.