A project to restore the Selbe River in Ulaanbaatar was officially launched last Friday. Prime Minister S.Batbold, Mayor G.Munkhbayar, other officials, and students who are behind the project attended the ceremony at the Zuun Ail Bridge. The project was initiated by the Social Democracy-Mongolian Youth Union in December 2010, and the Sukhbaatar District has been working to implement it.

Organizers say it will cost more than MNT 5 billion to restore the river and repair its banks. Some MNT 700 million has been financed so far.

Two companies, NORBY LLC and Shimt Gazar LLC, are working to improve water inflow from the Zuun Ail Bridge to the Arslantai Bridge, and improve the banks. The companies also plan to build an ice-skating rink for young people.

Students gathered 30,000 signatures requesting the restoration of the river. After Friday’s ceremony they collected trash from the banks of the river.