Chandrapur Collector Calls for Salary Donations to Revive Irai River

Collector Vinay Gowda of Maharashtra's Chandrapur district has requested government employees to donate a day's salary for the Irai river rejuvenation project. Despite having Rs 865 crore in the District Mineral Foundation, former MP Naresh Puglia criticizes the plan. The campaign seeks to deepen and clean the river.

Vinay Gowda, the collector of Maharashtra's Chandrapur district, has made a plea to government officials and employees in the area, urging them to contribute a day's salary to fund a vital initiative aimed at rejuvenating the Irai river.

This call for donations was outlined in an official statement released on April 12, following a meeting hosted at the Forest Academy in the presence of Tribal Development Minister and Guardian Minister of Chandrapur district, Ashok Uike. Although Minister Uike did not address the donation appeal, he encouraged public involvement to transform the river revitalization project into a people's movement.

However, significant criticism came from former Lok Sabha MP Naresh Puglia, who questioned the decision to seek donations given the existing Rs 865 crore in the District Mineral Foundation fund. Puglia insisted on understanding why this substantial fund isn't utilized for the river's restoration, which includes cleaning, riverbed deepening, and building protective structures.

(With inputs from agencies.)