Minister seeks increase in flow of water in Shukratal Ghat

The government on Thursday instructed officials of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand irrigation departments to submit proposals for the augmentation of flows at Shukratal Ghat in Muzaffarnagar district.

"The flow of river Saloni, a tributary of river Ganga, has decreased creating problems for local inhabitants and devotees in performing their rituals on the ghat," said Union Minister of State for Water Resources Satya Pal Singh in a meeting.

Every year thousands of devotees, reach Shukratal for the holy dip in the Ganga but of late, people are not taking the dip as thousands of fish were found lying dead on the water.

A 2017 report from the Central Pollution Control Board said fish mortality was reported on July 4, at Ganga river ghat at Shukratal, Muzaffarnagar due to "discharge of industrial effluent from Laksar industrial area Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

The report said that "discharge of coloured untreated and effluent" at Shukratal Ghat results in mortality of fishes at the ghat.

The Saloni river used to receive water from river Ganga through Ban Ganga via Paschim Bhana Nala but now the river was blocked due to embankment, constructed to protect the areas adjoining the latter from flooding during monsoon period, said Singh.

The officials of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand asked the Minister to release water from upper Ganga canal at Dhanuli to escape and construct a controlled structure with cost of Rs 33.86 crore at Ban Ganga river and Paschim Nala.

--IANS

sm/nir