10 cities of MP, Gujarat selected for models of Narmada Rejuvenation Project
| Date :01-Nov-2019 |
By Ashish Rajput :
TEN cities of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been selected for materialisation of models of Narmada Rejuvenation Project. Models will be implemented to improve forestry, agricultural and urban landscapes for Aviral Dhara (Continuous Flow) and Nirmal Dhara (Clean Water Flow) in river Narmada. Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI), Jabalpur, has been assigned as nodal agency for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Narmada Rejuvenation through forestry intervention.
TFRI Senior Scientist Dr Avinash Jain who is in-charge of issues related to urban landscape for DPR, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ informed that total 10 cities, including eight in Madhya Pradesh and two in Gujarat, have been identified for implementation of forestry models to rejuvenate Narmada river. More than two dozen plantation projects have been prepared to develop models on urban landscape to improve water recharging, cleaning and protection of aquatic biodiversity in Narmada River.
These plantation projects are based on urban land topography includes adaptability of land, climatic condition, quality of soil etc. Senior Scientist Dr Jain informed that preparation of DPR for Narmada Rejuvenation is a holistic approach with active participation of entire Government machinery. Civic bodies in 10 selected cities have been asked for availability of land to start materialisation of models. Once the model will be implemented, its data will be available on web portal for civic authorities and other Government agencies for expansion of the model at banks of river Narmada.
He added that rigorous plantation according to the landscape is the only way to rejuvenate Narmada river for its clean and continuous water flow. Model will incorporate plantation of grasses, herbs and shrubs beside trees for restoration of open forests around Narmada. He added that DPR also include 19 tributary rivers of river Narmada including 16 in Madhya Pradesh and 3 in Gujarat for their rejuvenation. Ten selected cities include Dindori, Mandla, Jabalpur, Gadarwara, Hoshangabad, Omkareshwar, Khargone in Madhya Pradesh and Bharuch and Chhota Udaipur in Gujarat.