The Centre on Monday assured that interests of all States would be taken into account while implementing river-linking project and not only “Ganga” but other rivers would also be paid as much attention.
All rivers are divine and the Government will not neglect any of them in its zeal to rejuvenate Ganga, Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti said in the lok Sabha.
“Every river is as divine as Ganga. The Government will take care of Ganga, Yamuna and also other rivers,” she said while replying to a debate on the demands for grants of her Ministry. Bharti was responding to the members who wanted to know why all attention was being paid to Ganga by the Government at a time when several rivers of the country are facing menace of pollution and need cleaning.
She said Rs 2,037 crore earmarked for cleaning of Ganga and Rs 100 core for development of embankments would be fully utilised within the course of the financial year.
The lok Sabha later passed the demand for grants of the Water Resources Ministry by voice vote. Bharti said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked her to “speed up” the work and she would include views of “all good officers” in the States “to correct our Ganga policy.”
The Minister said shipping will be allowed in Ganga but without obstructing the flow of the river. She said State Chief Ministers will be invited to suggest one river which need to be paid attention. “We will cooperate..,” Bharti said adding that the Government would change the rules, if necessary, and apply same parameter to preserve and clean other rivers as set for ‘Ganga’.
The Minister said. “Ganga was polluted for last 50 years and now Prime Minister is working with full force to clean it up.” “Once it is done, the society will have to keep in intact,” she said. In a reference to Assam, Bharti said the Chief Minister would be consulted to have Majuli river island declared as the World
Heritage Site. On river-interlinking project, she said there would be “no death on account of drought,” “no migration” to cities as plenty of jobs be generated once it is completed. Earlier, Opposition members expressed concern over the growing contamination of ground water and stressed on the urgent need for rain harvesting.