Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated mega development projects worth Rs 521 crore in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission through video conference on Tuesday. He inaugurated a total of eight sewage treatment plants (STPs) including four in Haridwar, two in Rishikesh and one each in Muni-ki-Reti and Badrinath.
He also inaugurated the Ganga Avalokan Museum, the first of its kind on the River Ganga at Haridwar and the new logo for the Jal Jeevan Mission. With the inauguration of the STPs, about 15.2 crore litres of contaminated water will not end up in the Ganga daily.
Modi highlighted the importance of keeping the Ganga clean as it plays a significant role in sustaining the lives of about 50 per cent of the country’s population from its origin in Uttarakhand till West Bengal. He termed the Namami Gange Mission as the largest integrated river conservation mission which not only aims at the cleanliness of the Ganga but also focuses on comprehensive upkeep of the river.
The PM said this new thinking and approach had made the Ganga return back to life. Had the old methods been adopted, the situation would have been equally bad today. Old methods lacked public participation and foresight, he added. Modi highlighted the fact that under Namami Gange, projects worth more than Rs 30,000 crore are either in progress or have been completed. He pointed out that due to these projects the sewage treatment capacity of Uttarakhand has increased four times in the last six years.
The PM listed the efforts taken to close more than 130 drains in Uttarakhand from flowing into the Ganga. He referred specially to the Chandreshwarnagar drain which was an eyesore for visitors and rafters at Muni Ki Reti in Rishikesh. He applauded the closing of the drain and the construction of a four storied STP at Muni Ki Reti. Modi further said that as it was experienced by the pilgrims at Prayagraj Kumbh, the visitors to Haridwar Kumbh would also experience the clean and pure status of the Ganga in Uttarakhand.
He said fragmentation of work- on an important subject like water- into various ministries and departments, led to lack of clear guidelines and coordination.
As a result, problems related to irrigation and drinking water continued to persist. He lamented that even after so many years of independence, piped drinking water has not reached more than 15 crore households in the country. Today, about one lakh households are being provided piped water supply connections every day under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
He said drinking water connections have been provided to two crore families of the country in just one year.
The PM said a special 100-day campaign is being launched on October 2 this year under Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure drinking water connection to every school and Anganwadi in the country. Modi also commended the Uttarakhand government for providing drinking water connections to more than 50,000 families even during the Covid pandemic in the past 4-5 months.
Thanking the PM and the Centre, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat that of the 19 projects approved for 16 priority towns, 15 had been completed while the remaining will be completed before the 2021 Kumbh Mela.
Of the 135 drains marked in these towns, 128 had been closed while the remaining will be closed before the Kumbh.
The benefit of works done in the catchment areas of the Ganga will be evident in the future. Further, organic agriculture is also being encouraged on 5 to 7 kms area on both banks of the Ganga under Namami Gange.
The treated water coming out of the STPs built under this programme is also being provided to farmers for irrigation, he added. The Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also expressed his views on the occasion. Governor Baby Rani Maurya, Union Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and others were also present on the occasion.
