New Delhi: Taking a serious stance towards 'Clean Ganga' campaign, PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for time-bound, swift action and single-minded focus to stop pollution of the River Ganga.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the ‘Namaami Gange’ project today, the PM emphasized that the ‘Namaami Gange’ vision should majorly focus on checking pollution at the source, which include urban sewage and industrial effluents.
The Prime Minister also laid stress on the necessity to promote recycling of industrial waste water and also on granting punishment within the framework of existing laws to industrial units who fail to stop pollution.
The Prime Minister was briefed extensively on critical hotspots along the stretch of the river, which generate most of the pollution. Also, the existing gaps in sewage treatment capacity were highlighted. A total of 764 grossly polluting industrial units have been identified along the stretch of the Ganga. Tanneries, pulp and paper and sugar industries account for over three-fourth of this number.
The concept of a network of volunteers to help end pollution of the river – ‘Ganga Vahini’ – has been approved. Steps are being taken to operationalise this network. 118 Urban Local Bodies have been identified to be covered within five years, in a targeted attempt to control pollution.
The Prime Minister was also briefed on ongoing sewerage and river front development projects.
The meeting was attended by Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Uma Bharati, Prakash Javdekar and top Government officials.
