The state government has taken up a Rs 245-crore Integrated Environment Improvement and Protection (IEIP) project for the city and its suburbs.

Officials said the comprehensive project — a first in the state — will replace the assorted schemes undertaken “on a piecemeal basis” to protect and improve the environment in and around the city.

“We have already drafted the City Development Plan to upgrade the basic infrastructure, like traffic and transportation, drinking water, sewerage and solid waste management. Now, we have turned the focus on the environment,” said an official in the urban development department, which will act as the nodal agency of the project.

The major components of the project are conservation of nature (including upkeep of wetlands); protection of parks, beautification of riverfronts; curbing use of groundwater and introduction of rainwater harvesting techniques.

Preservation of heritage buildings and monuments and monitoring the air and water quality are among the other priorities.

“We are preparing item-wise plans. Work is likely to start soon and end within a year,’’ said an urban development department official.

The state will provide a bulk of the funds and will approach the Centre and private firms for the rest.

The chief minister on several occasions had asked his colleagues to take into account the environmental aspect while drawing up development plans. “We do not take up any scheme without assessing its impact on the surroundings,” asserted urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya.