Assam's Guwahati, in a move towards urban cleanliness and environmental sustainability, has unveiled a state-of-the-art waste management fleet. Mayor Mrigen Sarania inaugurated two state-of-the-art mechanised road sweeping machines and 60 e-light commercial vehicles (E-LCVs) for door-to-door waste collection, positioning Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) as a pioneer in using e-LCVs for household garbage collection in the country. The newly procured mechanised road sweeping machines, valued at Rs.58.7 million, will greatly improve the cleanliness of major roads within GMC's jurisdiction. These machines are designed to effectively combat dust and ensure efficient street sweeping, contributing significantly to the city's overall cleanliness.Varanasi’s Rudraksh convention centre gets GRIHA awardThe Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi was awarded the GRIHA Award for Green Building Development at the GRIHA Regional Conclave-2024 held in Lucknow. Varanasi Smart City is the nodal agency for operation and management of the Rudraksh. According to the Varanasi Smart City authorities, the green building rating is granted to new constructions based on nationally recognised criteria established by the ‘Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment’ (GRIHA) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. Its objectives include reducing carbon footprint, minimising energy and water consumption during construction, adopting renewable energy systems, and cutting operational costs by 30-40 percent.Contact: Rudraksh Cooperation CentreEmail: info@rudrakshcentre.comWebsite: www.rudrakshcentre.com55 doorstep services for Kamrup transport bureauThe Kamrup (Metro) transport department launched a special public service programme to provide over 55 services to citizens at their doorsteps. It has collaborated with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) in the new initiative. A designated team consisting of transport department officials will guide the citizens on their queries through telephonic conversations and will reach out to citizens to provide hands-on assistance, if required. The department has already been providing around 55 contactless online services to the owners of around 1.4 million vehicles registered in the city. Through the initiative, citizens would be able to avail licences, renew their vehicle documents and pay taxes, among other things. Also, four helpline numbers have been launched for the convenience of citizens.30,000 trees get axed for various projects in BhopalBhopal has lost over 30,000 trees in the name of paving for various projects and going by the state of affairs, there seems to be no end to the rampant cutting of greenery in the City of Lakes. As per reports, over 6,000 trees have been removed for construction of the Smart City project alone. The much-hyped project promised to transform Bhopal into a modern and technologically advanced city with improved infrastructure and amenities. There are several other projects in which trees in large numbers have been cut down. The large-scale cutting of trees for various development projects has raised concerns among environmentalists and citizens. While these projects will improve infrastructure, transportation, and quality of life in the city, the loss of green cover will impact the environment.Rs.13.5 million food street project in Kochi gathers steamThe city’s Rs.13.5 million  food-street project, launched in 2023, envisages setting up 100 safe and hygienic food streets across 100 cities or districts in the country. The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) is implementing the project. GCDA proposed setting up a clean and hygienic food street at Kasthurba Nagar with financial assistance from the Centre. The proposal is to construct a 10,000 sq ft food street with 20 bunks and all allied facilities necessary for safe and hygienic functioning. The food street will have other facilities such as open dining, adequate wash areas, toilets and parking lots spread across 5,000 sq ft.