DIAMOND HARBOUR: Union Water Resources minister Uma Bharti today set off from Ganga Sagar in West Bengal to inspect execution of the Centre's 'Namami Gange' programme at various places along the Ganga in a bid to amplify efforts to clean up the heavily-polluted river.
Speaking on the occasion Bharti stressed on the need to create awareness among people not to pollute the Ganga and make its water clean.
Bharti's 15-day trip from Ganga Sagar in West Bengal will culminate at Gangotri in Uttarakhand. During the nearly 2,500-km tour, the Union Water Resources minister will cover 25 other locations from the basin states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, besides Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Apart from this, she will interact with various stakeholders during 'Ganga Chaupal' (meetings on issues relating to the river) at 24 locations in the five states to make the 'Namami Gange' programme a success. Bharti will travel by road, boat, air and on foot during the journey.