The Times of India              22.04.2013

NAGPUR: The Nagpur municipal corporation (NMC) is all set to kick-off historic 15-day Save Nag River campaign
from May 1. Seven teams comprising 31 top officials have been
constituted to monitor the works on the theme of VIBGYOR (seven colours
of a spectrum). It has also drawn up plans to establish micro-sewage
treatment plants (STP) with 1 million litres per day (MLD) capacity
along with existing proposal of mini-plants with 5 MLD capacity.

Mayor Anil Sole and municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane have planned
the campaign from May 1 to 15 for cleaning the city’s iconic river and
also spreading awareness among the citizens about importance of the
river. Wardhane constituted five-member core group (colour code: violet)
that includes deputy director (health) Dr Milind Ganvir, superintending
engineer Prakash Urade, health officer (sanitation) Dr Ashok Urkude,
special officer for lakes and rivers Mohammed Israil and garden
superintendent Nareshchandra Shrikhande.

For smooth
implementation of works, the river has been divided into six stretches-
Ambazari lake overflow point to Panchsheel square (indigo), up to
Baidyanath square (blue), up to Juni Shukrawari (green), up to KDK
college (yellow), up to Pardi bridge (orange), thence up to confluence
with Pilli river beyond Bharatwada (red). The responsibility of each
stretch is given to a team of 4-5 officials including assistant
commissioners, deputy engineers etc.

In his circular about
administrative set up for campaign, Urade set six types of
responsibilities to each group. They have been asked to identify and
suggest sites along Nag river for establishing micro STPs. “Groups
should also identify sites for establishing public toilets to prevent
open defecation near the river. The number of encroachments and proposed
action should also be identified. Groups should enlist the government
and private bodies interested in helping the campaign. Technical works
like assessment of silt and soil, locations from where machines may
enter the riverbed, plan to arrest sewage flowing into the river, spots
where solid waste is dumped etc also have to be done,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sole is chalking out programmes to be undertaken during the
campaign and how corporators and NGOs could be involved. The micro-STPs
are a new step. Already, NMC has issued work orders to construct
mini-STPs with installed capacity of 5 MLD each. Besides, NMC is
operating one 80 MLD plant at Bhandewadi and has proposed to augment it
to 200 MLD. Another big plant with 130 MLD capacity is under
construction at Bhandewadi under JNNURM.

NMC has proposed to
construct three more STPs with 5 MLD capacity in Nag river’s
rejuvenation plan. Proposal has been submitted to build three big STPs
with total capacity of 350 MLD and laying of 1,747.38km sewage line at
the cost of Rs 1,328.88 crore under JNNURM
phase-II. If all these plans come to fruition, Nag River will have
clean water flowing through it. Besides Kanhan and Vainganga rivers too
may be rid of city’s pollution.