Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Even after four months of approval, the construction of new immersion ghats in Bhopal has not begun. Upon receiving this information, Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s Commissioner Sanskriti Jain strongly reprimanded lake in-charge Executive Engineer Brijesh Kaushal on Friday.
The municipal council had approved Rs 20 crore for the project on July 24, and the sites had already been identified. Yet, no progress has been made on the ground.
The city has been under pressure to curb water pollution after the National Green Tribunal recently imposed a ban on idol immersion in Bhopal’s lakes. Following the Tribunal’s directive, the Municipal Corporation selected several locations for new immersion ghats, and the council granted formal approval in July.
According to the Lake Conservation Cell, these proposed ghats are to be constructed at BU Campus, Neelbadh, Sanjeev Nagar, Malikhedi, and Prempura. However, four months later, construction has not commenced at any site.
The proposal for the new ghats was initially prepared by in-charge Executive Engineer Pramod Malviya. But once the project’s budget came to light, Assistant Engineer Brijesh Kaushal maneuvered to take charge of the Lake Conservation Cell.
Taking note of the prolonged delay, the municipal commissioner called for an explanation from Kaushal. However, he was unable to provide a satisfactory reason for the lack of progress. Upset with his response, the Commissioner issued a stern reprimand and directed him to expedite the start of construction immediately.
