Floating diyas adding to pollution in Ganga river

New Delhi, Feb 16: Scores of floating 'diyas' offered to the Ganga River everyday contribute to the pollution in the holy river, Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said on Monday.

Launching a three-day 'India Wash Summit' along with many dignitaries by floating diyas in a vessel filled with water, the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation said floating diyas kept in the river are a source of pollution.

"Though I am floating this diya, it is also one of the reasons of pollution and that too in Ganga...," the Minister said in the presence of Sue Coates of UNICEF and Barabara Frost of Water Aid.

The BJP government at the Centre is initiating major programmes to clean up the holy river within the next two years.

Soon after winning the Lok Sabha polls last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who represents Varanasi constituency, had taken part in 'Ganga Aarti' at River Ganga's famous Dashashwamedh Ghat.

Ganga Aarti attracts huge crowds on a daily basis and scores of 'diyas' are floated on the water bed.

Cleaning the River Ganga is Modi's pet project and the Centre had set a target of two years to rejuvenate the polluted river and has formed an integrated plan 'Namaami Gange' in this regard.

PTI