Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Residents enthusiastically participated in a cleanliness drive conducted at the Sukhna River bed near the Chikalthana weekly market area on Saturday morning as part of the Sukhna River Rejuvenation project.
The drive was carried out between 6.30 am and 7.30 am by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation ahead of World Environment Day celebrations on June 5. Citizens cleaned plastic waste and removed stones from the river bed to improve water flow.
The civic body is currently carrying out widening, deepening and desilting work under the river rejuvenation project.
The drive was organised on the instructions of Municipal Commissioner Amol Yedge and under the guidance of Chief Garden Officer Dr Vijay Patil. Corporator Shivaji Dandge, Deputy Commissioner Nandkishor Bhombe, Project CEO Jayant Kulkarni, Eco Satya Foundation official Gauri Mirashi, civic officials, employees and local residents took part in the activity.
Officials said the Sukhna River Rejuvenation project is being implemented on the lines of the Kham River rejuvenation work in the city. Technical support for the project is being provided under the guidance of Executive Engineer Amol Kulkarni.
The civic administration is also planning a large-scale plantation drive around the river bed on June 5 to mark World Environment Day. Officials said the ongoing cleanliness drive is an important step before the plantation work begins.
The garden, solid waste management and technical departments of the corporation are jointly working on the project. Officials said most parts of the river have already been cleaned, while work on the remaining stretches is in progress.
The administration appealed to citizens to actively participate in the project to help make the city clean and green.
