NMC to outsource Godavari water hyacinth clean-up work

Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to outsource the work to manually remove water hyacinth on various stretches of the Godavari river in Nashik city and get workers through contractors.The civic body has prepared a proposal to hire 80 workers through contractors for the task. The contractor concerned will also be required to provide boats along with the 80 workers.NMC officials said, "The proposal will be tabled for approval before the NMC's general body meeting next week. The workers are proposed to be deployed for a period of nine months, which will cost the civic body around Rs2.45 crore."The local civic body has only one trash skimmer machine, which has proved inadequate to remove water hyacinth across the entire 18-km city stretch of the river.Apart from the trash skimmer machine, these workers will also be deployed for manual removal of water hyacinth. The issue had come up during a recent meeting related to Godavari river pollution chaired by Nashik divisional commissioner Praveen Gedam. Environmentalists raised concerns over the spread of water hyacinth in several areas of the river. Taking serious cognizance of the issue, the divisional commissioner had instructed NMC officials to either procure another trash skimmer machine or remove water hyacinth manually.NMC's deputy commissioner (environment) Nitin Pawar confirmed that the proposal in this regard has been prepared."Presently, a single trash skimmer machine is not sufficient to remove water hyacinth across the entire city stretch of the river," Pawar said. Water hyacinth has surfaced once again, covering the stretch of the Godavari river between Ahilyabai Holkar bridge and Ramwadi in the city. Environmental activist Rajesh Pandit said, "Water hyacinth is caused due to the mixing of sewage water into the river. Sewage discharge into the Godavari is leading to the growth of water hyacinth." He added that the only permanent solution to the problem is to stop the release of sewage into the river.