Save Yamuna, appeals Hema Malini

Bollywood actress and Lok Sabha member from Mathura Hema Malini Wednesday demanded immediate release of water into the Yamuna river from the Hathini Kund barrage to ensure that pilgrims who visit the land of Lord Krishna are not put to inconvenience.

Hema Malini also raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take appropriate action.

"I placed all the facts before the house and voiced the frustration and concern of the people who have long been demanding action to save the Yamuna from pollution," Hema Malini told IANS Wednesday.

"Industries in Haryana and Delhi are polluting the river which has been reduced to a vast sewage canal. The pollutants are adversely affecting children, as lead and other elements have been found to flow freely in the river."

She said the only solution was to release water on a continuous basis for the downstream cities and divert the waste and sewage through a parallel drain to the Agra Canal.

"The problem cannot be resolved unless the governments at the centre and state take prompt steps. I am happy the prime minister heard me patiently during my recent meeting with him," she said.