Manisha Khatri, the newly appointed Nashik civic chief, emphasises the need for pollution reduction in the Godavari river ahead of the 2027 Simhastha Kumbh Mela. She also prioritises improvements in civic services for the city's development
Nashik chief chief Manisha Khatri. Pic/X
The newly appointed civic chief of Nashik, Manisha Khatri, has emphasised the urgent need to address the growing pollution levels in the Godavari river. With the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela scheduled for 2027-28, Khatri highlighted the significance of cleaning the river ahead of the grand event, which is expected to attract millions of devotees.
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As per PTI reports, Khatri, an IAS officer, expressed her commitment to improving Nashik’s civic infrastructure, focusing on critical services such as potable water supply, public health facilities, education, and transport. She stated that reducing pollution in the Godavari would be a priority, especially considering the potential for hosting water sports on the river as part of India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. The cleaner environment and better infrastructure would not only benefit the Simhastha Kumbh Mela but also contribute to the city’s long-term growth and development.
Khatri further emphasised that Nashik has a window of two years before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which offers a valuable opportunity for improvement. She envisions Nashik emerging as one of the top 10 cities in the country in terms of cleanliness and civic facilities. She expressed her aspiration for Nashik to surpass cities like Indore, currently known as the cleanest city in India.
The new civic chief outlined a roadmap for the city's transformation, which includes revamping essential services, boosting sanitation, and improving the overall quality of life for Nashik residents. Under her leadership, Nashik aims to become a model city that prioritises sustainability, public health, and urban development.
New Nashik civic chief says online services, cleanliness priorities
The new civic chief of Nashik, who took charge today, said that among his priorities was to provide online services to the people and to keep the city clean. Indian Administrative Service official Tukaram Mundhe, who today took charge as Nashik Municipal Corporation commissioner from outgoing civic head Abhishek Krishna, added that tackling the issue of pollution of Godavari river would also be high on the agenda.
He told reporters that the NMC would set up its own public transport service and also work towards mitigating parking woes plaguing the city. Mundhe said that he would try to provide online services to the public. and also urged civic employees, especially those associated with cleanliness, to put in their best efforts.
He assured that the garbage disposal mechanism of the city would be modified and urged people to dispose it after segregating garbage into wet, dry and e-waste. The commissioner would be surveying hotels and shops in the city later today, officials informed.