Days after the Supreme Court reprimanded the Government over damage to the Taj Mahal through pollution, the Centre on Monday decided to close down all pollution-causing industrial units in and around Agra. Union Minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari, who is also Minister for Water Resources, said this after chairing a joint meeting of Union Culture Ministers Mahesh Sharma, Environment Minister Dr Harshvardhan, Minister of State Satyapal Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and officials from respective departments.
Gadkari said the Government is concerned about the remarks made by the Supreme Court and thus the meeting discussed ways to clean up the city as well as the Holy rivers, Ganga and Yamuna.
Gadkari shared that the Centre is currently doing 250 projects related to Clean Ganga Mission of which 47 are almost completed.
He said all the undergoing projects will be done by March 2019, making for a cleaner Ganga.
Gadkari said the Centre has spent Rs 4000 crore for 34 projects towards cleaning of both the holy rivers and by December end almost all the projects pertaining to them will be in full swing.
He said the Government has also undertaken projects for cleaning of the Yamuna. Twelve of this projects are located within the limits of the national Capital. Gadkari said one project in Okhla has already been awarded and work on that stretch will start soon.
While the work for cleanness of Yamuna at Mathura has been taken up by the Indian Oil, the UP CM said he has directed for preparation of DPR for 20 projects to clean the river across Uttar Pradesh.
“With solid waste management and liquid waste management, the Government will be able to clean river Yamuna and Ganga,” said leaders.
In the meeting, Yogi assured that Agra will be the city where the State Government will push for transportation based on electricity and ethanol, bio-fuel, making it pollution free and environmentally safe.