River Ganga will be free from most of its pollution within three years: Uma Bharti

NEW DELHI: Days after the Supreme Court asked the government to come up with a road map to clean the river Ganga, the Union water resources Uma Bharti said the river would be free from most of its pollution within three years and it would have uninterrupted flow by that time.

She also announced that the year 2015-16 would be observed as the year of water conservation which would give an impetus to her government's commitment to not only rejuvenate the Ganga along with other rivers across the country but also save water by involving citizens through a people's movement.

Referring to the Ganga Rejuvenation Programme of her government, Bharti said "We will ensure that within a period of three years Ganga is free from most of its pollution and at least one stream of Ganga flows uninterrupted."

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She admitted that at some places the sacred water of river Ganga is not even fit for consumption at this juncture.

Announcing the year 2015-16 as "water conservation year", she appealed to every section of the society to join this movement.

"A public movement will launched throughout the country for this purpose and at least one official of the Union Water Resources Ministry will be present in every district of the country during this period", said the minister.

She announced her government's plan while inaugurating an international seminar on water risk and water stewardship here on Wednesday.

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She said cooperation of State governments, NGOs, civil society, youth and retired personnel will be taken in this task.

The minister said a public movement has become a necessity for conservation of water and river in the country.

Delegates during the inauguration of the 'Ganga Manthan-National Dialogue on Ganga' organized by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, in New Delhi (PTI photo)

Referring to the apprehensions raised by some sections on the viability of inter-linking of rivers in the country, Bharti said, "We will ensure that environment, aqua life of rivers and eco-balance is not disturbed in the process."

She said her government was committed to the inter-linking of rivers as it will ensure equitable distribution of river water in the country and reiterated that her government proposed to fulfil this task within ten years.

The minister also referred to the criticisms made in certain section about the efforts to locate the extinct Saraswati River and said that there is no religious feeling behind this.

"In fact, this will help us to locate the water reservoirs en-route which can be utilized for irrigation," she said.

​Expressing concern over the pollution in river Yamuna in Delhi, the minister said her ministry will give full cooperation to Government of NCT Delhi in making Yamuna pollution free.

She announced that she will be taking a meeting in this regard within a day or two.