NEW DELHI: Facing accusations that the total number of grossly polluting industries is much more than officially claimed, the Centre has now decided to carry out a massive study along the whole length of River Ganga to revise the list of grossly polluting industries affecting the river.
The Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharati, who was addressing a conference on achievement of her ministry on three years of NDA government, stated that she recently undertook an inspection of the river Ganga from West Bengal to Uttarakhand.
“It is absolutely right that there are many unlisted sources that could be polluting Ganga. Thus we are roping in around 200 engineering students who will carry out a survey of the entire length of Ganga River,” she said.
According to an official statement, the engineering students who are being enrolled for the extensive bio technical study of river Ganga from Gangotri (origin of river in Uttarakhand) to Ganga Sagar (in West Bengal) are from colleges along the river Ganga.
“Each group of two students accompanied by volunteers from Nehru Yuva Kendra and Ganga Vichar Manch will extensively study a stretch of about 25 km each. These reports are likely to be available by September- October 2017. These students will also interact with the local residents to study the social impact of river Ganga on their life,” Bharati added.
As per the official data of the union ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, there a total of 1109 grossly polluting industries which are affecting Ganga. But activists have often claimed that the number of such grossly polluting industries is much more.
On the issue of pollution in River Ganga, Bharati also said that a team of senior officials from her ministry and the Uttar Pradesh government will meet sometime next week to discuss issue of shifting of Kanpur tanneries.
On the draft Ganga Act, the union water minister said that her ministry is in discussion with various stake holders before a final view is taken and the exercise will be over very soon after which a bill will be introduced in the Parliament.