Centre sets three year target to rejuvenate Ganga River

New Delhi, Aug 20: With the Narendra Modi Government according top priority to cleaning River Ganga, the Centre has set a target of three years to rejuvenate the polluted holy river.

Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti today said that efforts are being made to rejuvenate the river in three years, for which steps would be taken to address the problem of pollution from industries and sewage.

"We want to rejuvenate it in three years. In three years, we want to establish the Environmental flow (E-Flow). We want to resolve the issue of pollution on the banks of River Ganga and the pollution caused by industries and sewage," Bharti, who is also holding the Ganga Rejuvenation portfolio, said.

She was briefing reporters here on the sidelines of an international seminar on Water Risk and Stewardship in India. Plans to clean River Ganga are likely to commence in six months, she said.

On Yamuna river, Bharti said officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) would meet the Ministry of Water Resources for sorting out issues concerned with her ministry.

"I had a meeting with Delhi LG Najeeb Jung and discussed cleaning of Yamuna river which is flowing in the national capital. A wing has been set up with DDA for the purpose. The officials of the wing will meet us (Ministry of Water Resources) for sorting out issues concerned," she said.

Bharti also said that 2015-16 would be observed as the year of "Water Conservation", while emphasising on the need for interlinking of rivers in the country. "We have planned to announce 2015-16 as the year of water conservation... We are ready to interlink rivers keeping environment in mind and we can do it in 10 years," the Minister said.

PTI