CM Chouhan to tour Narmada Basin area

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that he will personally visit and see the ground reality of the works marked during Narmada Seva Yatra. He said that he will keep the progress report card in front of the public. Chouhan was reviewing the Narmada Seva Mission at the Mantralaya today. M.P Jan Abhiyan Parishad Vice Chairman Sarvashri Pradeep Pandey, Raghavendra Gautam, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary and other senior officers of departments related to the mission were present during the meeting. Officials presented details of the departmental works undertaken under the mission.

CM Chouhan said that the works carried out under the Mission will be monitored every month. He said that he will tour the Narmada basin areas on the occasion of its one-year completion besides progress of works will also be reviewed. Public will be informed about the works under construction and those which have been completed through sammelans. He instructed the officials to complete the works within the time limit and carry out regular monitoring. The physical verification of the works should be effective. Work should be estimated after obtaining photograph of the construction works in progress and those already completed. It should be ensured that dirty water should not be allowed to enter Narmada. He told the officials to keep constant vigilance for survival of the saplings. During the meeting Chouhan took department wise information of the targets and progress of 16 districts. He instructed the Jan Abhiyan Parishad to organize Narmada Seva Mission’s Seva Samitis. He instructed the Agriculture Department to give details of the progress based on road map under the mission every month.

The Urban Development and Housing Department informed at the meeting that 123 boxes have been set up for garbage collection in the basin area. At least 119 changing rooms have been constructed in the ghats besides construction of 28 separate kunds for immersion of statues and Tajiyas. 19 Muktidhams have been set up. Under the mission, 44 urban bodies have been made nine clusters of Integrated Solid Waste Management. Two mobile toilets have been made available for each urban body. Public toilets are being made at an expense of Rs 4.25 crores. Total 21 sewage projects have been made for 20 cities. The Agriculture Department told that 19 thousand 400 units of 4640 NADEP, Vermicompost have been set up to recycle agricultural waste into fertilizers. At least 351 Biogas units are also being set up.

Embankment of more than 21 thousand fields in the Narmada basin area has been completed and 2634 works are in progress. More than 15 lakh 12 thousand soil health cards have been distributed for land testing. Phase wise certification work of Bio Village is being undertaken as per the target.

Forest Department told that the work plan for checking incidents of fire that occur due to dry leaves in the summer is ready. One water structure each for water storage in one km square-ft area for conservation of plants is being constructed.

Indore laboratory is being expanded for tissue culture of plants. The Tourism Department told that the monthly estimate of the quality of Narmada water is displayed on public domain. Treatment of all 11 prominent polluting industries set up in the River Watershed Area has been arranged. Monitoring of zero discharge with cameras at state level is being conducted. The Horticulture Department has connected 26 thousand 139 farmers for fruit sapling plantation on a one-km strip on the basin area and 41 lakh 72 thousand fruit-bearing saplings have been planted on 13 thousand 906 hectare area. The Department has initiated financial assistance for cold room, cold storage, increased onion storage capacity, solar dryer and processing industries. The Urja Vikas Nigam has set up 2 thousand 431 units of rooftop solar power plants, distributed 2, 525 solar pumps, 37 lakh 40 thousand LED bulbs, 1 lakh 3 thousand tubelights and 13, 409 fans in the basin areas.

The Science and Technology Department has given training to Narmada bank dwellers in scientific method of waste disposal and to make solar dryers. To ensure river health in the long term River Health Index is being prepared and research works are being undertaken. Creation of new literature for research and development of new genre for River Science is underway. The Industry Department is getting sewage treatment plants in Umaria, Dungariya of Jabalpur and Mohasa Babai industrial area of Hoshangabad which will be completed by the end of year 2018 and first half of 2019 respectively. The Water Resources Department told that work on 50 projects is in progress so that flow of the river is not affected due to the huge dams on Narmada. So far three projects have been completed. Construction of total 28 projects is near completion and work is in progress in various phases in the remaining projects. The Gramodyog Department told that work of establishing 150 Gramodyog units is in progress. Similarly training of clay sculptors and activities of assistance to silk farmers are also in progress. The Rural Development Department told that work on freeing 528 villages on the Narmada bank of open defecation is complete and work is in progress in 205 villages. Gram panchayats have been given training in biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste management. Three crore saplings have been planted. About 55 thousand persons have been appointed for maintenance of the trees. Recently the saplings have been verified also.

The School Education Department told that Nadi Divas will be celebrated in schools on September 23 to inspire children and their parents/guardians to protect rivers. They will be informed about the Missed Call Response Service to make them committed towards river conservation. The Tourism Corporation provided information about scientific waste disposal in 4 out of 8 hotels in the region and works on developing villages and ghats as tourist spots. At least 174 solar energy-run boats are being provided for tourism. The Department of Social Justice gave information about public awareness to create a society free of intoxicants. The Revenue Department gave details about marking of borders of rivers, Animal Husbandry Department gave details of dry dairy units and fodder availability, Culture Department gave details of exploration of archaeological aspects of culture, upgradation of pre-historic caves, coordination between saints and society and assistance to fairs and Fisheries Department gave details of works of fish seed collection from the depths of rivers.-WTN