'Parts of Noida won't get Ganges water for 20 days'

, Oct 4: Certain parts of Noida and Ghaziabad would remain deprived of water from the

for at least 20 days starting on Saturday. The decision to close the shutters at Haridwar has been taken as the upper Ganges canal is being cleaned.

An irrigation department official said that the practice is a regular feature. The canal starts accumulating sand deposits from the water on its inner surface, thereby reducing its water carrying capacity. Thus, it is cleansed every year.

"Our Meerut division has decided to start cleansing operations simultaneously in each district from Haridwar to its tail so that work is completed within the stipulated time," said Ravinder Yadav, executive engineer of the irrigation department's Ghaziabad division.

IANS