Draft Ganga Act under review: Uma Bharti

Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Saturday said her ministry is reviewing the draft Ganga Act and hoped riparian states will not indulge in politics over the river.

"If we can prove through the Act that Ganga is India's unique river and if we can scientifically prove Ganga's uniqueness, and we are getting all the necessary research done... so I felt the Act is necessary for its protection and it will be the biggest solution. A copy of the draft Act is with our ministry. We are reviewing it," Bharti said at a public meeting at Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district.

The draft Act addresses the critical issues pertaining to Ganga on its cleanliness (Nirmalta) and uninterrupted e-flow (Aviralta) and provides corresponding provisions thereof.

She requested the state governments to make Ganga protection their priority.

"We hope state governments do not do politics over Ganga, its protection should be their priority," she added.

Bharti was in West Bengal as part of her 15-day trip across five states to assess the execution of the Centre's "Namami Gange" (National Mission for Clean Ganga) programme.

--IANS

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