Water management requires support of people: Uma Bharti

Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Friday stressed the need for participation of people in water resources management,\ saying "there is a need to convert 'Jal Kranti' (water revolution) into 'Jan Kranti' (peoples revolution)".

Inaugurating the third edition of Jal Manthan, a national conference to brain-storm new ideas to resolve water-related issues in the country, the minister said that the central government was discussing the issue of bringing water onto the Concurrent List of the Constitution with states.

She said her ministry is also seriously working on new legislations for water use and the Ganga river.

Talking about inter-linking of rivers, Bharti said that her ministry was working on various projects related to this.

Referring to Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga-Mahanadi-Godawari link, Bharti said it is "mother link" of inter-linking of rivers in the country.

Bharti said a section of the people is opposed to the link, and termed it as "political".

"Successful completion of this link would be able to solve the drought and flood problems of the states of West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha to a great extent," she said.

The Damanganga-Pinjal link will be able to meet the drinking water needs of Mumbai up to the year 2060, the minister added.

--IANS

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