Nashik: Municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundha on Saturday said that the state government will extend Rs 600 crore to the city for upgrading sewage treatment plants, establishing two gardens, cleaning the Godavari and for smart city projects.“Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made the promise on releasing the above-mentioned amount during a review meeting of various departments in the city on Friday,” Mundhe told TOI.The municipal commissioner said he submitted a proposal on cleaning of the Godavari under the National River Cleaning Project to the state government, which will in turn submit it to the central government.Retrofitting of existing STPs is of utmost importance and funds are needed for that, said the civic chief. “We got fund for new STPs at Gangapur and Pimpalgaon Khamb. We will need more than Rs 200 crore for retrofitting of our four STPs, plus funds for network. A total of Rs 416 crore is needed. From the budget, 210km network will be completed. All these will keep the river clean.”Mundhe said that Project Goda, under the smart city scheme, would take care of river pollution, beautification and removal of concrete, de-silting, dredging etc. “I have submitted the final draft for Godavari to be included in the National River Cleaning Project to the state government. It will be submitting the draft to the central government. If they approve it, then like Ganga cleaning, Godavari will also be cleaned under this scheme and Rs 416 crore can be gotten. The CM is also trying for foreign funding from a French government company for river cleaning and rejuvenation,” he Mundhe.A couple of more gardens like Amrut gardens and two playgrounds were approved during the CM’s review meeting, taking the funds from the government to about Rs 700 crore, said the civic chief.“Availability of water is not the problem, managing it is. Our water reservation is 450 mld per day. We lift 430 mld water from Gangapur and Chehedi. Out of this 430 mld, only 350 mld reaches the residents. We incur 43% losses for non-revenue water and 18% actual losses,” he said.

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