CONTENTS CONSTRAINTS
a. REGULATORY b. AWARENESS
CHANGE STRATEGY
ASSESSMENT
I VULNERABILITIES I CAPACITIES I CONSTRAINTS
IMPACT
a. REGULATORY
The city administraion is guided by state laws and also the city depends on the state and government funds for most of the infrastructure building. While there is signiicant devoluion of funds, funcions and funcionaries, the city administraion
has to depend on resources controlled by the state located beyond its jurisdicion. State government has signiicant role to play in forming urban development policies and regulaions. Also, the city has virtually no control over the river low, which
is managed by State Water resources department Narmada and water supply and water Resources department. The city also has no control over the city expansion as well as town planning aciviies beyond its jurisdicion. The urban sprawls
along the peripheral areas exerts addiional pressure on housing, water supply through upstream usage, polluion etc. and transportaion networks, these inluences are diicult to be regulated by the city administraion.
Growth of industrial areas in the neighbourhood, especially Hazira noiied area is another constraint. While most of the industries have their own colonies, informal and semiformal labourers depend on Surat City for housing, shopping, recreaion
and transportaion, while it does not contribute towards the city development. Reportedly, the construcion and land illing aciviies in lood plain of the Hazira noiied area HNA may be the likely cause of increased lood levels due to choking of the
Tapi River’s mouth. On the other hand, the river water is also allocated for industries in HNA, which constrains the available water for the city residents. The water footprint of the city and HNA overlap and creates compeiion over limited resources,
especially during summers. This is likely to worsen in future and cannot be handled over medium and long term intervenions unless regional level planning of water resources, lood control and other services are managed eiciently.
b. AWARENESS
The ciizens of Surat are mix of naives called “Suri” who have setled over decades as well as migrants from across the country. More than half the city’s populaion is comprised of migrants with less than 2 deacdes of residence. This mixed populaion creates
a vibrant city with wide range of cultures and habits. A signiicant secion of the recent migrants are from rural background with comparaively less educaion and skill sets. These also have limited stakes in the city development. Therefore, building
awareness about risks and climate change issues is a major challenge. Signiicant secions of older residents who closely relate to the city are acive in its development process. These residents have
major stakes in improving the quality of life in the city which are evident by the success of many city level intervenions. Suri pride and belongingness is evident from their interest in city’s development oten acceping sacriices for the sake of society.
Examples include the case of people losing land for road widening and decongesion of the city post 1994 plague; support for the cleanliness of the city, solid waste management and water supply schemes. On the other hand, traic congesion across the
city shows highly individualisic behaviour driven by compeiion and pace of the city life. The Surat’s residents are known for prioriising beter services over the costs of these services. Changing behaviour paterns will
remain a coninued challenge with the mix of diverse mind-sets and backgrounds. Concerted eforts are therefore necessary to develop a sense of inclusion and stakes among the populaion.
CONTENTS
CHANGE STRATEGY
SHORT TERM I MID TERM I LONG TERM
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
4. PRIORITIZED STRATEGIES
