Ujjain: The Kahn River Diversion Project which the State government launched during Simhastha Fair-2016 and underground sewerage project being undertaken by Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) are now been proved as a curse. These projects are not only damaging various ghats of river Kshipra, but have also adversely affected the plantation programmes.
This complaint was made by the members of Roopantaran and Ujjainwale Group. On Sunday at 8 am members of Roopantaran and Ujjainwale Group formed human chain committing that they won’t let plants die which they have nurtured till now. They also decided that they will fight together for their survival.
According to noted social worker Rajeev Pahwa, with the aim of making river Khispra ever flowing forest department and Roopantaran started ground level work in July 2016 with the sole mission of celebrating Simhastha Fair-2028 with water of river Kshipra. These efforts continuously received support of local administration as well. In this regard, in 2018, the then collector made available 30 meter land along side Kshipra river for plantation to forest department. In this plantation project, the UMC financially supported forest department.
The sewerage line project for Kshipra Shuddhikaran was already on floor, hence former collector was requested that this project should not disturb the plantation and conservation work going along river Kshipra bank. Then and there only he asked the project team to paper plan only after going through the site and that no sewerage line should fall in that 30 meter area of plantation accordingly.
But unfortunately today, his orders are overlooked. Initially, plants in Bhairavgarh area got damaged. Then Roopantaran and Ujjainwale Group raised awareness campaign about it and stopped them from doing further damage. Presently, same thing is going to happen with Retighat plants, plantation site in front of Hotel Anujushree on Indore Road, Pahwa added.