NMCG approves 2 projects for Kumbh Mela 2019

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : In the run-up to the upcoming Kumbh Mela 2019 at Allahabad, UP, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at its 13^th Executive Committee (EC) meeting held on June 26, 2018,  approved two projects for community toilets and procurement of dustbins at an estimated cost of Rs 113 crore and Rs 3.6 crore respectively. More than 12 crore people are expected to attend the Mela and NMCG is committed to ensuring that pollutants are not dumped into river Ganga .

The first project includes setting up of 27,500 community Fiber Reinforced Plastic ( FRP) toilets (with septic tank) and pre-fabricated toilets (with septic tanks). Besides this, 20,000 community FRP urinals will also be set up during the Kumbh Mela, according to a PIB release.

Another project for deployment of 16,000 dustbins for solid waste management in the mela area, along with installation of lining bags in dustbins was also approved during the 13^th EC meeting. The projects have been approved keeping in mind the enormous gathering on the banks of river Ganga for a period of 60-90 days with close to 10 lakh pilgrims stationed at the camps.

One project for the construction of a 25 MLD STP, among other works, in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 118.69 crore under Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode. The other components of the project are developing Interception & Diversion (I&D) structures for 5 drains, I&D network laying, Sewage Pumping Stations including Operation and Maintenance for 15 years etc.

After the success of the ghat cleaning project in Varanasi, two more ghat cleaning projects in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand at an estimated cost of Rs 14.26 crore and Rs 15.90 crore respectively were approved at the 13^th EC meeting of NMCG. The Uttar Pradesh project is for four towns– Bithoor, Kanpur, Allahabad and Mathura-Vrindavan.

A project for the promotion of cultivation of medicinal plants indigenous to the Ganga Basin along  River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 35.46 crore for two years. The project that covers 8 districts and 40 blocks of Uttar Pradesh envisages covering an area of 2,500 hectare.