Forwarded to us by Sanjay Bapat ======== http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=34466 Full press release pasted below: The first phase of Eco-City programme is in advance stage of completion at the close of 10th five year plan. It covered six towns namely Kottayam, Tirupati, Ujjain, Puri, Thanjavur and Vrindavan. It aimed at improving the existing environment and at changing those aspects that are causing environment damage. In Kottayam, rejuvenation of Mudar river and renovation of Kacherikadavu Boat Jetty Canal were taken up. The canal had severe situation and pollution problem. In Ujjain, improvement of the area around Mahakal Temple and the cleaning by excavation and embankment of Rudra Sagar has been taken up. The Rudra Sagar Lake was highly silted and polluted with sewage. In addition, traffic and transportation, road improvement, drainage, laying of the water supply line for Rudra Sagar, underground electric cabling and plantation as well as landscaping activities are still on. The Eco-city Programme in Vrindavan aimed at improvement of the core-zone of the city, improvement of 2 kms. stretch from Kaliadaha Ghat to Kesi Ghat on 'Parikrama Path' and Banke Bihari Temple surroundings. This also includes the improvement around Rangnath Temple. For implementation of the above activities, the Vrindavan Municipality has identified funding agencies to meet these financial contribution. The core area of the town around Govinda Raja Swami Temple have been improved in Tirupati. The activities carried out are covering storm water drains in the Northern, Southern and Western sides of the temple, connecting water pipeline from Konneru to Narshimha Tirtha and cleaning and de-silting of drains in the core area. Similarly development in Puri has been carried out the Jagannath Temple for improvement of drinking water in Lion's gate, improvement of public toilet near 'Narendra tank' and construction of cement concrete drains with cover slabs along the roads around the Lord Jagannath Temple, renovation of three of the religious ponds. Besides this garages and automobile workshops will be shifted and existing solid waste disposal facility will be modernised. In Thanjavur town renovation of old tanks have been taken up. Various measures have been taken to protect usable aquifers from further degradation. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) undertook the Programme to bring visible change in the environmental improvement schemes in these towns on 50:50 sharing basis. =======