Rs 941 cr plan to clean Tapi river in Surat approved: Rupani

A sum of Rs 941.61 crore has been approved for a project, under the National River Conservation Plan, to clean Tapi river that flows past Surat city, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said today.

Speaking at Sarthana in Surat today, Rupani said that the first phase of the river's clean-up will cost Rs 408.28 crore, 70 per cent of which will be borne by the Union government.

The state government will provide 20 per cent of the cost while the Surat Municipal Corporation will chip in with the rest of the amount, Rupani informed.

Tapi river rises near Multai in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh and after traversing a length of 214 kilometres in Gujarat, it joins the Arabian sea in Gulf of Cambay after flowing past Surat city.

The state government's Information department, in a statement issued today, said that a total of 3.25 lakh labourers were employed under MNREGA in connection with works under the "Jal Sanchay" initiative that started across the state on May 1.

The water conservation campaign aims to remove 11,000 lakh cubic feet of silt from 13,000 ponds, check dams and reservoirs apart from rejuvenating 32 rivers and their tributaries.

Calling it the greatest water conservation drive ever undertaken in India, Rupani asked religious leaders, NGOs, businessmen and citizens to participate in it.