BENGALURU: On the lines of Namami Ganga (national mission for cleaning the river Ganga), the Karnataka government has announced a ‘Blue Plastic’ programme to clean rivers and coastlines in the state. However, no timeline has been decided for the programme. The project, to be executed with funds from World Plan, was proposed by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), but a project plan has not been prepared yet.
KSPCB member secretary Srinivasalu said plastic entering water bodies is a matter of concern, which prompted the government to announce the project. The govt will decide who will execute the project, he said. A senior KSPCB official said the plan will involve district administrations and locals, besides the tourism, revenue, irrigation and forest departments. Plans are also in place to involve tourists in the clean-up drive.
“The project has been delayed because officials from various departments are not able to come on to one platform. While regions in Western Ghats and coastal areas are to be included, choosing the rivers for the project has become a challenge due to political reasons, and also a matter of image among district administrations and politicians. No one wants their region on the list of polluted water bodies,” the official said.KSPCB presented the project before CM Basavaraj Bommai as a five-year plan, involving experts from the region in the cleanliness and maintenance of water bodies.
“So far, a budget estimate has not been prepared for the project. It has been decided that the project will start when everyone is on board, and will be for a five-year duration. This could be after three months or next year, and is for the government to take up,” the official added.