Govt to spend `650 cr for beautification

After Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's special emphasis on increasing the green cover across the cities in the state, the Urban Development department has decided to spend Rs 650 crore to ensure the same.

The schemes taken up under the Green City Mission include conservation of waterbodies, illumination through LED lights, installation of high mast lights, landscaping along historic buildings, development of parks and green spaces. Emphasis has also been given to improve IT-enabled citizen services and safe transportation system.

Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development minister said: "Plans have been taken for comprehensive development of the areas. The areas should look nice

and this is possible only if infrastructure is improved."

On February 23, Hakim met the Mayors and Chairpersons of the urban local bodies at the Unnayan Bhavan and urged them to make schemes to increase the green cover.

Under Mission Nirmal Bangla, ten integrated solid waste management projects at an estimated cost of Rs 421.69 crore have been approved for 14 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

They are Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Dum Dum, South Dum Dum, North Dum Dum, Baranagar, Bhatpara, Naihati, Asoknagar-Kalyangarh, Habra, Asansol Municipal Corporation, Krishnanagar, Shantipur, Nabadwip and Jalpaiguri corporations.

Tender to award the work to firms will be floated shortly. Meanwhile, the ULBs are carrying out massive awareness campaigns among the stakeholders so that they can ensure segregation at source. There will be 100 percent door-to-door collection and transportation achieving zero vat status and finally, treatment of waste with a sustainable model. The Urban Development department has also asked all the ULBs to clean hospital wastes regularly.

The department has allocated Rs 4.52 crore for all the 125 ULBs to create awareness against malaria and dengue.

It has also taken the initiative to provide safe drinking water in all the ULBs. Safe Drinking Water Project has been commissioned in 34 ULBs and the work is in progress in 51 ULBs.

It may be mentioned that after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the UD department to give supply of drinking water topmost priority. Accordingly, the ULBs prepared a scheme where untreated water was lifted from the river and waterbodies which was later purified and supplied through pipes.