The Manipur government is set to save the dying river Nambul with ₹95 crore made available by the Union government. This was disclosed by Chief Minister N. Biren on Thursday while inspecting the progress of ongoing construction works.

There has been a big clamour to save the river, which passes through Imphal city and villages from Iroishemba in Imphal to the Loktak, the largest fresh water lake in the northeast.

Effluents and garbage are dumped into the river from all sides. The erstwhile Congress government began efforts to conserve the water body. Former chief minister Okram Ibobi had said that the section of the river within Imphal city would be spruced up to attract tourists.

BJP Chief Minister N. Biren, who inspected the deplorable condition of the river in the city areas, said that the works done so far had been “successful”. He also planted saplings on both sides of the river in the city areas. He said that the trees would attract the attention of the tourists. The rejuvenation work will be undertaken from Iroishemba to Heirangoithong.

Mr. Biren said, “Sewage pipelines will be constructed on both sides of the river. This will prevent diversion of bathroom and kitchen sewage and garbage to the river. The waste will be taken to Mongsnagei, 6 km away from the city, where it will be treated at a water treatment plant with modern technologies.”

Some decades ago, water from the Nambul was used for domestic purposes. However, the untrammelled dumping of house, domestic, hotel and shop waste into the river water had made it so poisonous that fish could not survive in it. The polluted Nambul is also poisoning fish and edible water plants in the downstream Loktak lake.