UP promises cleaner Ganga on bathing days

Allahabad, Jan 8 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government today reiterated its commitment for providing cleaner water in the Ganga to devotees on bathing days during the on-going Ardh Kumbh Mela.

State chief secretary Navin Chandra Bajpai said 5,000 cusecs water was being released from Narora Dam and other canals daily in Ganga and Yamuna rivers.

He hoped the water would reach Allahabad by January 12.

Mr Bajpai was talking to newspersons here after visiting the mela area and holding review meeting with officials.

''With this release of water, the river flow will certainly increase and bring about qualitative change in Ganga.'' Mr Bajpai maintained if extra water had not been released in Ganga, the condition of the water might have been worse.

He assured the devotees would certainly get cleaner water on bathings days, including Makar Sankranti falling on January 14 and 15. January 15 is also the first 'Shahi Snan' (royal bathing) of the month long mela.

''Simultaneously, request has also been made to the Uttarakhand government for not releasing polluted water in Ganga from Dhela Kosi river and the state government has agreed to it.'' Besides, tanneries in Unnao and Kanpur have been asked not to release effluents in Ganga. Of 402 units, 58 tanneries have made arrangements to check the fall of polluted water in Kanpur.

Asked if Ganga was fit for bathing at Allahabad, the chief secretary quipped, ''since people are bathing in the river, it means the water is clean.'' He claimed that following global warming and scant rain the river water has decreased considerably. Mr Bajpai claimed there was no lack of essential commodities in the mela area.

UNI