Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that a team of senior officials from her Ministry and the Government of UP will take up the issue of shifting of Kanpur tanneries. Addressing a press conference about three year’s achievements of her Ministry in New Delhi today the Minister expressed the hope the officials of Water Resources Minsitry and UP will meet sometimes next week to discuss this issue.
On draft Ganga Act Sushri Bharti said that her Ministry is in discussion with various stake holders before a final view is taken. She said the exercise will be over very soon and the bill to this effect will be introduced in the Parliament. Sushri Bharti informed the media that report on e-flow of river Ganga has also been received by the Ministry and is being studied. The Minister said that a uniform e-flow level will be prescribed for all the rivers of the country. Referring to Pancheshwar project, Water Resources Minister said this project has a huge tourism potential which will be exploited to rehabilitate the project oustees. With reference to Majuli island project of Assam, Sushri Bharti said it will be taken up with extensive public participation. She also referred to the demand of de-silting of Ganga by Bihar Chief Minister and said that Secretary Water Resources has recently made a presentation on the issue to the Chief Minister of Bihar and expressed the hope that the problem will be solved very soon. On Mahanadi controversy, Sushri Bharti said “We love Odisha and West Bengal both. We are sensitive to their problems but also expect their cooperation”.
The Minister announced that two hundred engineering students from the colleges along the river Ganga have been enrolled for extensive bio technical study of river Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. Sushri Bharti said each group of two students accompanied by volunteers from Nehru Yuva Kendra and Ganga Vichar Manch will extensively study a stretch of about 25 km each. These reports are likely to be available by September- October 2017. These students will also interact with the local residents to study the social impact of river Ganga on their life.
