Nashik civic body plans riverbank cleaning of Godavari, its tributaries

Nashik: Areas within 100m of the banks of the Godavari and its tributaries Nandini, Waldevi, Waghadi and Kapila would be cleaned daily as part of the city's preparations for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela once approved, an NMC (Nashk Municipal Corporation) official said.The civic administration has sought permission from the general body for the initiative and the proposal will be tabled at the next general body meeting for approval, TOI has learnt.Under the plan 80 contract workers would be deployed to collect and remove garbage accumulated along the waterbodies, 35 would clean the Godavari waters and its banks, the remaining 45 would cover the tributaries. The Godavari stretches for about 20.5km within city limits, while its tributaries together span nearly 48km.The move aligns with Bombay high court's directive issued in Dec 2018 in a public interest litigation related to pollution of the largest river in peninsular India. The court had directed the civic body to ensure cleanliness of the river and its tributaries within municipal limits.As per the HC's directive dumping of ritual waste is prohibited within 100m on both sides of the river, and storage of plastic and garbage in the river bed has been banned.The Godavari and its tributaries flowing through Nashik city face rising pollution due to densely populated settlements along the riverbanks and poor sanitation practices. Large quantities of sewage, solid waste, religious materials are dumped into the river and adjoining areas, resulting in deterioration of water quality, officials said.The tributaries too pass through thickly populated neighbourhoods where activities such as washing clothes and dumping garbage are common resulting in water contamination, foul smell and mosquito breeding and posing health risks to residents.