What should be the minimum flow of Ganga, asks NGT

The National Green Tribunal on Monday asked the government to indicate the minimum flow of water in the Ganga to ensure its uninterrupted flow.

Several politicians, including the Union Water Resources Minister, had earlier advocated the uninterrupted flow of the river to ensure its cleanliness.

The tribunal asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Union Water Resources and Environment Ministries to provide information describing what should be the environmental flow of Ganga to revert it to its original condition.

Environmental Flow or E-flow of any river is based on the quantity and quality of water flowing in a river for a given time to keep the water water fresh.

"Environment Ministry, Water Resources Ministry and the CPCB will take a clear stand as to what should be the minimum environmental flow of the river Ganga between Haridwar and Unnao," the bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

The bench also asked the government about the status of groundwater level in the over 500 km stretch along the river between Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, which is called the segment-B of the phase I of the river. The NGT asked if the water being diverted from the river to irrigation canals will be regulated as to help the maintainance of the river.

Earlier on April 12, a committee consituted by the Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvination, submitted its report to Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti. She then expressed the hope that sufficient provisions have been made in the draft report keeping in view the uninterrupted and clean flow of river Ganga.

--IANS

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