Smart City directed to submit Nahar-e-Ambari Conservation Plan

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Aug 31:

A former Director General of union Government’s Namami Gange Programme (NGP) today directed the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) to submit a detailed plan to conserve the live water heritage -- Nahar-e-Ambari -- under the union Government’s Jal Shakti Mission (JSM), soon.

It may be noted that the old water supply system through aqueducts would be used to operate on the siphon system and it was introduced by the founder of the city Malik Amber, to quench the thirst of the citizens. Today, the live water heritage is gasping for a fresh lease of life and is in a very pitiable condition.

An online review meeting was organised by the union Government’s Namami Gange Programme (NGP) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) on Wednesday. The meeting discussed and reviewed the progress of the cleaning of all the important rivers in the country.

NGP’s Director General G Asok Kumar, former DG Dr Rajeev Ranjan Mishra, additional secretary (Government of India’s Urban Development department) D Thara, NIUA’s director Hitesh Vaidya, Victor Shinde and others were present in the online meeting. The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) deputy commissioner Somnath Jadhav along with ASCDCL assistant project manager Aditya Tiwari and media analyst Arpita Sharad joined the meeting online.

The ASCDCL officers informed them about the Kham River Rejuvenation Project. Former DG applauded the AMC administration for rejuvenating the Kham river without any funds. He informed that Aurangabad has set an ideal example before other cities. The success of the project has prompted the NGP to also include cities from where the River Ganga is not passing.

The NGP and NIUA teams were highly impressed with knowing about the ancient water supply system through Nahers (aqueducts) and it is a water heritage of Aurangabad. Later on, the NGP’s former DG Mishra directed the ASCDCL to submit the proposal of conserving this 400-year-old Nahar-e-Ambari to the union Government’s Jal Shakti Mission as the man-made water resources are being preserved under it, he explained.