NASHIK :
Lauding the Civic Sense campaign of Deshdoot, Guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal, expressed that citizens should participate and take the responsibility of the city only then will it grow and develop, opined District Guardian Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
Bhujbal was speaking at the Deshdoot Samwad Katta was organized on the theme of Civic Sense on Thursday at Deshdoot office. While expressing his views, Bhujbal said that there is scope for tourism in Nashik. The economy in Nashik will get a boost due to this. The economy of many countries in the world is based on tourism. There is huge scope for religious tourism and it should be developed. In addition, medical tourism here can also be developed here. Nashik has the potential to become an educational hub.
“If a tourist stays here for some days, the economy in Nashik will get momentum automatically. With this view, I decided to start a boat club at Gangapur dam during my last regime. An agreement was made with a company to start seaplane service from Gangapur dam. I started seaplane service at Chowpaty in Mumbai and it is running smoothly there. However, there was opposition to this. Flyover on Mumbai-Agra was constructed with the same view. The airport in Nashik was developed. Funicular trolley at Saptashrungi Garh is first such trolley in the country. A plan to develop Igatpuri as hill station is an attempt to boost tourism in Nashik”, he informed.
He stated that projects under the smart city mission should be eco-friendly. Attempt to develop Goda Park by Raj Thackeray was good. The water at Ramkund should be clean and pure. Sewage water should not be released into river Godavari to keep it clean. Though sewage treatment plants are set up by NMC, stormwater is not being treated in them properly. We are cheating ourselves.
Measures are needed to provide clean and pure water to people under smart city mission and this should be done honestly. The efforts being taken by Dr Rajendrasingh in this direction are good, he added. Over city bus service by Municipal Corporation, Bhujbal said, “All public transport systems in the world are running in losses. While doing this there should be no burden on taxpayers. Before the start of the metro project in Nashik, make a proper study of other projects in the country. Seek guidance from experts. It is not that a minister or corporator knows everything.”
Basic facilities like clean and pure water, good health facilities, proper roads and schools are a must. Measures should be taken to reduce waste. Waste segregation is a good attempt. Make people aware of how to save water. It is in our hand to reduce pollution However, this is impossible without people’s participation. Tell people what is good and beneficial for them. People’s support is needed for welfare schemes by Municipal Corporation, he stated.
Bhujbal regretted over the incident of a woman professor set ablaze by a stalker in Wardha district. He said, “Why we do not stop such incidents. There is police in each citizen. It is our duty to protect our rights. It is impossible to deploy police at every corner or chowk of the city.”
Over the agriculture sector, he stated, “My emphasis will be on setting up agro-based processing industries which are supplementary for farming. This will also help in improving the economy in Nashik slowly. Over the outbreak of coronavirus in China Bhujbal said that this is man-made. Man is responsible for this and lessons should be learned from this.
