Japan offers to help India with management

At a time when Maharashtra has banned use of plastic, Japan today offered India to assist in effective waste management.

Last month, Maharashtra government had imposed a ban on manufacturing and sale of plastic materials, including PET and PETE bottles.

Japan's consul general based in Mumbai, Ryoji Noda, today said Japan is "very much ready" to share its experience with India to handle air, water and sea pollution.

"If Mumbai creates 7,000 tonnes of urban waste every day, around 210,000 tonne of waste is produced every month. Japan, which has recycled 85 per cent of PET bottles, can help India in better handling the same," Noda said at a CII event here today.

Having received Rs 22,000 crore of assistance under Japans Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), India is the largest beneficiary, and Mumbai has been one of the focus areas of its assistance, he said.

Noda said the ambitious trans-harbour link project, connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai would be completed in 2022.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) had signed an agreement with MMRDA to provide 144,795 million yen, or around Rs 8,600 crore official development assistance (ODA) loan for trans-harbour link project.

"Japan has committed Rs 9,000 crore towards Mumbai trans-harbour link road, connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. It will be completed in 2022," consul general, Consulate of Japan in Mumbai, Ryoji Noda, said at a CII event.

Japan has also committed Rs 4,500 crore towards Mumbai Metro III (Colaba to Seepz) project, and will be completed in 2021, he said.

Talking about high speed railway line between Ahemdabad and Mumbai, Noda said the project would ensure trust and safety of the users, responsible and timely disbursement in construction, and safety net around the same.

The 508 km bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is being executed at a cost of Rs 1.10 lakh crore, of which Rs 88,000 crore would be funded by JICA.