Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed Indore for becoming the first “Water Plus” city in the country.
During his Mann Ki Baat radio programme, the Prime Minister said, Indoreans are not merely content with the cleanest city tag, they have decided to move forward.
“We know this very well that whenever we talk about Swachh Bharat, Indore’s name automatically comes up. This is because the city has created a unique identity for itself and people of Indore deserve applause for this. Our Indore has been at number one position in Swachh Bharat rankings for many years now. People of Indore have now decided they are not going to sit satisfied with this ranking, they want to move forward. Residents have made up their mind to keep Indore a Water Plus city. And, they have come out all guns blazing,” the Prime Minister said.
The PM explained that water plus city is such a city where no sewage is released into a public water source without treatment.
“(Indore) citizens have themselves come forward to connect drains of their houses to sewage lines. Because of that, the volume of sewage water flowing into Saraswati and Kanh rivers has vastly reduced. The improvement is visible as well,” Modi said.
“At a time when the nation is celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, we all should take a resolve to not let the cleanliness mission weaken. The more water plus cities we have in the country, the more beneficial it will be to us,” Modi added.
Indore was declared as the first water plus city of the country by the Centre under Swachh Survekshan 2021.
Indore municipal commissioner Pratibha Pal said that more than 7000 citizens connected drains in their houses to the main line of sewerage at their own expense.
“Sticking to guidelines of Water Plus Survey,” Pal said, “Indore treats dirty water at 10 sewerage treatment plants in the city and reuses about 30 percent of water in gardens, feeding rivers, irrigation etc.
The municipal commissioner said that it is a matter of pride for all citizens, public representatives, various organizations and IMC workers that the Prime Minister appreciated their efforts made for water plus city tag during his Maan Ki Baat programme.
