Pune: To keep the city rivers and the river bed clean, Pune Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao has informed that river cleaning activities will be conducted with the help of public participation, NGOs and the Water Department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). On June 2, Rao will check the progress of the work.

Recently, Rao did a survey at Vitthal Mandir, Rajaram Bridge, Rajput slum area, Bhide Bridge, Wadeshwar Ghat and Onkareshwar Temple. He observed that a lot of hyacinth has grown in the river and unwanted shrubs have grown near the river bed. 

He instructed PMC Solid Waste Management Department Head Dnyaneshwar Molak, Encroachment Department Assistant Commissioner Madhav Jagtap, Srinivas Bonala, Umesh Mali, Jayant Bhosekar and Mangesh Dighe, who had accompanied Rao during the survey, to get removed the silt and debris from the river and river bed.

He said, “The encroachment on the river bed will be removed. Every Wednesday the ward office will carry out the river cleaning activity.”

“The ward officer will keep a check on whether the drainage water is getting mixed with river water and if so, then action should be immediately taken. Also, action will be taken against those who dump debris on river bed. These activities will be conducted by the Water Department of the PMC along with public participation and NGOs,” Rao said.