MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Osaka City, Japan, aimed at cooperation in environmental conservation and pollution control, with a focus on the use of advanced technologies and structured policy interventions. The agreement covers key areas including solid waste management, water pollution, air pollution and the reduction of carbon emissions. Officials said the collaboration would help the state develop a time-bound roadmap to address environmental challenges through technology transfer and the exchange of global best practices. The MoU was signed in the presence of MPCB chairman Siddheshji Kadam, Member Secretary M. Devender Singh, IAS, and Japan’s Consul General in Mumbai, Koji Yagi. A delegation from Osaka City, including officials from the city government’s Environment Bureau and representatives of the Global Environment Centre, Japan, attended the event. Osaka City is widely regarded as a model for pollution control, having dealt with severe environmental degradation during Japan’s rapid industrialisation in the 1960s. The city subsequently introduced stringent environmental laws, strict enforcement mechanisms and public participation measures, which officials said helped it manage water and air pollution, solid waste, carbon emissions and greenhouse gases at the local level. According to the MPCB, the partnership will involve training programmes, skill development initiatives and study tours, along with technical support for pollution monitoring, waste management and the recycling of single-use plastics. Officials said the MoU would help accelerate the implementation of pollution control measures in the state. The MPCB added that projects under the agreement would be reviewed on a monthly basis to track progress and ensure adherence to timelines.
