4 ministries teaming for cleaning up the Ganges

Announcing this at a press conference on Friday after a meeting of the ministries, Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharti said a meeting comprising four ministers from Surface Transport, Shipping, Tourism and Water Resources was convened on Friday for the purpose.

"We will be incorporating ideas as and when required. Ganga is on our top priority. It is not that we are not prioritising other rivers but we will have to create a model first which can be replicated elsewhere," Bharti said.

The meeting, presided by Union Minister for Surface Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, was attended also by ministers for Environment, she added. Bharti said the Centre and the Prime Minister were giving tremendous importance for Ganga and other rivers as had been assured during his election campaign.

Gadkari said a committee, comprising the Secretaries of the four ministries set up for the purpose, would evaluate the entire Ganga cleaning project. "To undertake dredging activities of up to 45 metres from Varanasi to Hoogly, the Ministry of Environment and Forest will evaluate the ecological impact of the proposal and will give us the report," he said.

"We have started technical evaluation of barrages that we intend to set up at a distance of every 100 km and use it for connectivity. It will also be utilised for goods and passenger transportation," he added.

While the Ministry of Tourism will work towards promotion of the heritage site for promotion of tourism, Gadkari said the Human Resources Development Ministry will work towards setting up a research institute on the subject.

Gadkari said wastewater from industries in Kanpur and Allahabad will be recycled and wastewater from elsewhere will also be treated. "The Secretary of Water Resources is heading the Group of Secretaries and a Detailed Project Report will be ready in a month and after approval from all the ministries, Water Resources will float a cabinet note on the subject," he said.

Besides, the Ministry of Tourism will also find ways to increase employment in the process (Ganga Cleaning and Promotion) Ethics, Economy and Environment site, season and rainfall-based road, shipping, water, power and agriculture, he added.