Uma calls meet on ‘Clean Ganga Mission’

New Delhi: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti called a meeting on July 5 of technocrats, saints, environmentalists and NGOs for consultations on Ganga Rejuvenation Programme. With PM Narendra Modi taking personal interest in the Ganga cleansing programme, Uma has intensified her efforts to take up the programme in a big way.

The move comes close on the heels of setting up a Group of Secretaries from the Ministries of Environment, Transport, Tourism and Water Resources to clean up and rejuvenate River Ganga.

Speaking as chief guest at the National Conference on Preserving Rivers on Wednesday, Uma said the parameters set for Ganga will also be applicable to other major rivers of the country.

Significantly, Uma said that she has spoken to Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and conveyed to them that the development of Delhi’s Yamuna River banks must be river-friendly.

Uma said, “There won’t be any compromise on the free flow and purity of the rivers. We will take people along in this initiative. In India faith and development can go together.” She was of the opinion that Ganga Rejuvenation Programme of India will set an example for other countries to follow.

The Union Minister said that there will not be any shortage of funds for Ganga Rejuvenation Programme. Private sector has also offered its help in this task. Collaborations from other countries will also be considered.

Referring to the doubts expressed by a section of the environmentalists on the inter-linking of the rivers the Union Minister said, “We will ensure that only those rivers are interlinked, which will not harm our eco-system.” She said that her Ministry is not opposed to power projects on rivers but at the same time it has to be ensured that main river is never dry during any point of the year.