Cong opposes Vishwamitri cleaning drive

Vadodara: Congress councillor Ami Ravat on Friday objected to the cleaning drive of Vishwamitri River and accused the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) of ignoring the encroachments on the river bank. Ravat said that Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is damaging the ecology of the river by removing trees and shrubs randomly on the river bank.
“When I objected, the civic officials stopped the cleaning work on Friday. The drive is not just damaging the river’s ecology but also disturbing the crocodiles that are a protected species. Why is the VMC cleaning up the river in this period of the year? It’s all a hogwash,” Ravat who is the opposition leader in the VMC said. She added that the VMC isn’t removing the encroachments that are actually obstructing the river flow.
“The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered to remove all the encroachments and debris from the river bank but the VMC isn’t acting on it. The civic body should immediately start work on demarcating the river and its tributaries Bhuki Kaans, Masia Kaans and Ruparel Kaans as per instructions from the NGT,” said Ravat who has also written a letter to the chief secretary.
The VMC had started cleaning Vishwamitri riverbank some days ago under the monitoring of the forest department. Wildlife activists had protested against the move citing damage to the crocodile dens and other aquatic life in the river.