Rs. 1298 cr. to spend on conserving Narmada
Bhopal. The State Government will spend Rs. 1298 crore for purification and conservation of state’s lifeline Narmada River. The drive will be launched from Narmada’s originating point at Amarkantak. The drive involves 53 cities of the state situated on the banks of the Narmada River.
The Urban Administration & Development Department is chalking out a special action plan for solid waste management, sanitation, disposal of sewer and rain water, plantation etc. Under the first phase of the two-phase drive, 24 cities situated upto ten kilometers away from Narmada River banks have been included whereas the second phase will cover 29 cities situated 10 to 50 kilometers away. Rs. 578 crore and Rs. 720.58 crore 29 lakh are estimated to be spent in the cities covered the first and second phase respectively.
The State Government has directed all the concerning urban bodies to chalk out action plans for Narmada River purification and conservation in their respective areas and demand necessary fund to it. The Forest Department has been directed to undertake plantations along the banks of the Narmada River.
It is noteworthy that the total length of Narmada River from its originating point upto Arabian Sea is 1312 kilometers including 1077 kilometers in Madhya Pradesh. The 24 cities to be covered under the first phase of Narmada River purification and conservation drive include Amarkantak, Dindori, Shahpura (Dindori), Mandla, Barela, Panagar, Bhedaghat, Jabalpur, Kareli, Sainkhera, Hoshangabad, Shahganj, Budni, Rehti, Nasrullahganj, Barwah, Sanawad, Mandaleshwar, Kasrawad, Omkareshwar, Dhamnod, Anjad and Barwani.
The cities to be covered under the second phase include Jaithari, Annupur, Bichhiya, Niwas, Banjar, Nainpur, Shahpura (Jabalpur), Patan, Gotegaon, Gadarwara, Mohgaon (Chhindwara), Bareli, Badi, Obaidullahganj, Pipariya, Sohagpur, Babai, Itarsi, Seoni Malwa, Timarni, Harda, Khirkiya, Khategaon, Satwas, Kannod, Mandu, Kukshi, Manawar and Rajpur.
