French minister Pompili vists Surat, meets smart mobility, sustainable city project players

France's ecological transition minister Barbara Pompili on Monday met Indian and French players involved in smart mobility and sustainable city projects in Surat during her five-day visit to India.

"In Surat, Minister Barbara Pompili met with India and France players involved in smart mobility and sustainable city projects, including e-rickshaw. She highlighted Surat's pioneering clean urban solutions and reiterated France's commitment to contributing to India's smart cities mission,' Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India wrote in a tweet.

Lenain highlighted the agenda of Pompili's five-day visit to India to launch the India-France Year of the Environment, Conference of the Parties (COP26) on climate, Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) on biodiversity and India's role as a pivotal country in facing these challenges.

Pompili also visted to Assam and interacted with local communities, researchers of the Centre of Excellence-Sustainable Polymers.

She visited the conservation project France supports through French Development Agency to restore Assam's rich forests, protect vibrant biodiversity in Kaziranga and provide better, more sustainable livelihoods with skill development, Lenain said.

"At IIT Guwahati in Assam, Barbara Pompili interacted with researchers of the Centre of Excellence-Sustainable Polymers, credited with inventing India's first biodegradable plastic. A great example of India's innovation potential for sustainability," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )