Former Lok Sabha MP from Chandrapur Naresh Puglia on Monday criticised the collector for seeking donation from government employees for the campaign
The campaign is aimed at cleaning, deepening the polluted river and increasing its flood-carrying capacity. Representational Pic/File
The Chandrapur collector in Maharashtra has appealed to government officials and employees posted in the district to donate their one-day salary to fund the Irai river cleaning project, reported the PTI.
Chandrapur collector Vinay Gowda's appeal for donation mentions in an official release issued on April 12 after a meeting held at the Forest Academy in the district in the presence of Tribal Development Minister and Guardian Minister of Chandrapur district, Ashok Uike, according to the PTI.
While the minister did not touch upon the donation issue, he appealed to everyone to contribute to make the campaign to rejuvenate the river a people's movement, as per the PTI.
The campaign is aimed at cleaning, deepening the polluted river and increasing its flood-carrying capacity.
However, former Lok Sabha MP from Chandrapur Naresh Puglia on Monday criticised the collector for seeking donation from government employees for the campaign, the news agency reported.
Talking to reporters, he said despite having Rs 865 crore in the District Mineral Foundation, Gowda is appealing for funds, the PTI reported.
"A total of Rs 865 crore of mineral fund is lying in the bank and crores of rupees are being earned on it (in form of interest) every year. Why money from this fund is not being spent for the revival of the Irai river? What is the purpose of appealing to officers and employees to donate one-day salary?" Puglia asked, the news agency reported on Monday.
He sought to know why the administration has failed to provide funds for the revitalization of the Irai river that involves building protective walls, dams besides deepening the river bed and undertaking beautification work.
The Irai river is a key water source for Chandrapur city and the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station.
Delta region desilting work to end in May, says TN Minister
Meanwhile, with water from the Mettur Dam scheduled for release on the customary date of June 12, desilting operations across Tamil Nadu’s Delta region will be completed by the end of May to ensure smooth water flow to tail-end agricultural areas, said Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan on Sunday, according to the IANS.
In a statement, the Minister announced that a total of Rs 120 crore has been sanctioned for 1,071 desilting projects covering 6,179 km across the Tiruchirappalli, Chennai, Madurai, and Coimbatore regions, as per the IANS.
In Thanjavur district alone, where 4,760 km of waterways were desilted over the past four years for Rs 85.97 crore, this year’s works will cover 1,380 km with an allocated budget of Rs 26.28 crore.
Duraimurugan confirmed that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will initiate the release of water from the Mettur Dam on June 12, continuing a longstanding tradition. He directed officials to ensure that water reaches the tail-end regions without obstruction, enabling the irrigation of large swathes of farmland, the news agency reported on Sunday.
(with PTI and IANS inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
