NMC Fails to Fully Utilise Rs 7 Crore Allocation for Rivers' Cleaning Amid Early Monsoon
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Nagpur: While the early onset of monsoon is wreaking havoc in western Maharashtra, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials are still in deep slumber. A RTI reply, stating that NMC has used only miniscule part of funds sanctioned for cleaning of rivers across the city has exposed monsoon preparedness claims of the civic body.
The NMC has allotted Rs7 crore for cleaning the city's three main rivers — Nag, Pili, and Pora —for the 2024-25 financial year. Of these, only Rs1.33 crore has been spent so far, the reply to a RTI query states. The last couple of years have witnessed many parts of the city getting submerged due to flooding in these three rivers. Still, the civic authority has adopted a lackadaisical approach in clearing the rivers of debris.
The RTI reply reveals a disturbing pattern: Year after year, the NMC allocates funds for desilting and riverbed cleaning but fails to utilise the funds fully. In 2020-21, Rs1.5 crore was allocated, of which Rs1.08 crore was utilised. In 2021-22, Rs2 crore was sanctioned, but only Rs1.16 crore was spent. The situation worsened in 2022-23, when only Rs62 lakh of the Rs2 crore allocation was used.
In 2023-24, NMC spent Rs1.46 crore of the same Rs2 crore allocated.
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The same year saw areas around Ambazari lake and Shankar Nagar getting submerged due to overflowing Nag river after the Sept 23 downpour.
Under fire after the flood of Sept 23, 2023, NMC raised the allocation for cleaning the rivers to Rs7 crore for the year 2024-25. But barely 19% has been utilised so far while the pre-monsoon cleaning is far from complete.
Last year's monsoon was no different. On July 20, 2024, heavy rainfall submerged around 71 localities, mostly in south-west and south Nagpur, bringing the city to a standstill.
Water entered numerous homes and blocked roads for hours. These areas, not traditionally prone to flooding, suffered waterlogging largely due to choked river stretches and neglected stormwater channels. In the past, flooding was largely restricted to settlements along the Nag river.
The failure to act despite available funds and ample time has enraged residents and raised alarms about potential disasters.
"The monsoon is about to enter Vidarbha. If cleaning is not done now, the same streets will flood again. What excuse will the NMC give then?" asked a resident of Dhantoli, adding, "Why are crores allocated when the funds are going unused?"
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