Nadi Mahotsava to be Organised in February in Bandrabhan

Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Nadi Mahotsava will be held in Bandrabhan in the state in February. International and national environmentalists working for environment and river conservation and Nadi Sevak will participate in it. Fairs to be held at the banks of Narmada river in the state will be organised systematically. Chief Minister Chouhan was taking a review meeting of Narmada Seva Mission here today. Chief Secretary B.P. Singh was also present in the meeting. It was informed that the water quality in the samples collected every month from 31 locations for checking water quality in the Narmada river by Pollution Control Board has been found of A-grade quality. In order to prevent illegal sand mining from Narmada river, 1465 cases have been registered in 16 districts of the Narmada region by mining department and 76 vehicles have been confiscated for illegal mineral transportation.

 Chief Minister Chouhan reviewed department-wise works carried out under Narmada Seva Mission. He said that the work carried out under the Narmada Seva Mission will be reviewed every month. Action plan should be made to protect and maintain saplings planted on both banks of Narmada under the mission. Report of the works and results obtained under Narmada Seva Mission will be tabled in Vidhan Sabha. Villages located on both the sides of Narmada river should be made open defection free (ODF). Portable changing rooms should be set up at banks of the river. Public awareness campaign should be launched for preventing burning of crops’ residue (Narvai) in villages located Narmada banks. Farmers in these villages should be encouraged for planting saplings of fruit bearing trees.

Pond water structures to be made on a large scale in catchment area of Narmada river
 
Action plan to construct ghats at Narmada banks, renovation works and Narmada Yatri Niwas should be executed speedily. Water bodies should be made in catchment area of Narmada river at large scale. Narmada Valley Development Department, forests department and revenue department will work together on this task. Public should be made aware for not causing pollution in Narmada river.

Construction of 18 sewage treatment plants to be set up for preventing drain water in the river should be started immediately. Sand excavation from the river should be carried out in the quantity through scientific method which does not harm ecological system of the river and environment. Farmers who have planted saplings of fruit-bearing trees in their field located at Narmada banks should be given compensation in February by holding programme. Small food processing units should be set up in panchayats of Narmada region.

State Level convention of 712 Narmada Seva Samitis to be held

 Chouhan said that preparations should be made for massive plantations at the banks of Narmada on 2 July, 2018. This year, 12 crore saplings will be planted. No industrial waste should be released in the river from industrial units located on Narmada banks. Religious and spiritual tourism should be promoted at Narmada banks. Tourism department will prepare a package in this regard. De-addiction drive should be continued in villages of Narmada banks. Fairs to be held on the banks of the river should be organised systematically. State level convention should be organised for 712 Narmada Seva Samitis constituted during Narmada Seva Yatra. Essay writing, painting and Bhajan contests focused on Narmada river conservation should be organized in schools before Narmada Jayanti.

Narmada Water is of “A’ Grade Quality

It was informed in the meeting that water quality of Narmada river is being checked every month at 31 places by the Pollution Control Board. Narmada water is found to be of ‘A’ Grade quality in the test. Oxygen quantity of 6 milligram per liter is found in the Narmada water and 2 milligram quantity of B.O.D. is found. Water treatment plants have been installed in all the 11 industries established on the banks of the river Narmada. Out of these industries, polluted water is not being released in Narmada river by 10 industries whereas treated water is being released by one industry. Narmada River is free of pollution in this way.

Under the large plantation programme, 7 crore 10 lakh saplings have been planted at One lakh 30 thousand places on the banks of Narmada River in a single day on July 2. Poddh Rakshak (Saplings Guards) have been appointed for maintaining these saplings and a pot irrigation scheme has been prepared to protect these saplings during summer. Farmers who have planted fruit bearing saplings in their agriculture field on the banks of Narmada will be encouraged for drip irrigation. All the villages beside the Narmada Banks will be made open defecation free till November 30. Immersion kunds, mukti dhams and changing rooms are being constructed in all the villages situated on the banks of Narmada River.

190 Ghats and 92 Narmada Yatri Niwas will be constructed on Narmada Banks
Four hundred and twelve clusters have been approved on 16 thousand 480 acre land for organic farming in these villages. Two to four Nadep have been made in all these villages. Training on diversified farming has been imparted to 5 thousand 100 farmers connected to these villages. Moreover training on river conservation has been imparted to one thousand fishermen of these areas. One hundred and 90 ghats and 92 Narmada Yatri Niwas will be constructed on the banks of Narmada River during the next 5 years. About On One thousand 500 water bodies will be made in the catchment area of Narmada River this year. Forty eight goushalas have been approved for the villages situated on Narmada banks. Cases of cottage industry like Dona Pattal (Leaf Bowls) and Kulhad (Cup) of clay manufacturing have been approved in these villages.

16 Thousand Farmers Planted Saplings of Fruit Bearing Trees in their Fields
Four Hundred and 25 encroachments have been removed from 292 hectare area in the villages situated on the banks of Narmada. Sixteen thousand farmers have planted sapling of fruit bearing trees in their agriculture fields on the banks of River Narmada. Two thousand 946 kilogram polythene has been seized in an action to prevent ill effects of polythene. Beside this public awareness programmes have been organized to spread awareness about the ill effects of polythene among the people. During the excavation in village Metakheda, 50 thousand years old archeological relics have been found. The school students have administered a pledge for river conservation on September 23.

Vice President Jan-Abhiyan Parishad Pradeep Pandey, Additional Chief Secretary Finance A.P. Shrivastava, Additional Chief Secretary Rural Development R.S. Julaniya, Additional Chief Secretary Energy Iqbal Singh Bains, Additional Chief Secretary Narmada Valley Development Authority Rajnish Vaish and Principal Secretaries related to the departments of Narmada Seva Mission beside Senior Officers were present in the meeting.-Windowtonews