The Centre will launch its ambitious ‘Namami Gange’ programme tomorrow with the launch of 300 works, including those of STP installations, aimed at cleaning the holy river and ensuring its unfettered flow.
The projects on entry-level activities such as ghat and crematoria construction/repair, river front beautification, installation and repair of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and others work will be launched simultaneously from over 104 locations initially in all five basin States of the Ganga.
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Uma Bharti, Narendra Tomar and Mahesh Sharma will launch the works in Haridwar at an event, which will also be attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat.
“It is a historic moment. For the first time, the river is being cleaned with wholesomeness. We will show Phase I of Ganga cleaning in October 2016, while the second phase will be completed two years later,” Bharti told reporters here.
She said tomorrow the government will also launch an application to monitor level of pollution in the river.
Gadkari and newly-appointed Ministers of State for Water Resources, Vijay Goel and Sanjeev Balyan, were present during the briefing.
‘Moksha Dham’ works
Referring to ‘Moksha Dham’ works, which relate to construction/repair of crematoria located along the river, Gadkari said the projects will be implemented without hurting public sentiments attached to the holy river even as air and water pollution is kept under check.
He also rejected claims that the programme works are taking off late, saying he was “rather surprised” the projects are being launched “within such a short span” notwithstanding the complexity involved in it.
Industrial effluents
On the issue of tanneries, sugar mills, distilleries and other industrial units in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur adding to pollution level in the river, Gadkari said the government has studied the problem and drafted detailed project reports (DPR) in its bid to tackle the same.
“The issue has been studied and DPR have been prepared to tackle the same. The schemes have been worked out with the cooperation of States, taking them into confidence,” he said.
Gadkari also made a strong pitch for recycling waste water from industries located along Ganga to ensure pollution is curbed and cited example of how drainage water is treated and used again in his hometown Nagpur.
He said that DPR for STPs is ready and tenders in this regard would be floated soon.
About his ministry envisaging waterways projects in Ganga, Gadkari said work is on in the river’s 1,620-km stretch between Varanasi and Haldia where adequate water flow is available to transport ships.