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The Centre is developing 60 jetties on the banks of Ganga between Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Haldia in West Bengal, Union MoS for Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur said on Sunday. Inaugurating four such jetties on both sides of the river at Nadia's Kalyani and Tribeny in Hooghly district of West Bengal, he said the Centre was also developing 118 waterways in the country. "The 118 new waterways will reduce distance, lower transportation costs and benefit small traders, daily passengers and students. It will strengthen the economy," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focussing on the infrastructure development of the country which has been neglected for a long, he said. "We want the cooperation of the West Bengal government for infrastructure development as the state needs it," he said. Thakur said the four jetties he inaugurated were built at a cost of Rs 8 crore. He also initiated various development along the Ichamati river -- National Waterway 44, in the North 24
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that his government, under its Ganga Water Supply Scheme (GWSS), will soon provide treated flood waters to households of Nawada district. Talking to reporters here, during his ongoing 'Samadhan Yatra', Kumar said the project will meet the drinking water needs of the district. "Work to provide treated flood waters of river Ganga to households in Nawada district is underway on a war footing. It will be completed in the next few months. People of Nawada will soon get sacred Ganga water at home," he underlined. Notably, the CM had launched the scheme, worth Rs 4,175 crore, in Gaya and Rajgir in November last year. The scheme was approved in a special cabinet meeting held in Gaya in December 2019.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday asked officials to work with the resolve to clean up river Ganga before the start of Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj. He also issued directions to expedite the process of setting up sewage treatment plants to save the rivers. The chief minister was addressing a meeting to review the progress of the 'Namami Gange' project here. "Before the start of Prayagraj Kumbh 2025, the resolve to make Maa Ganga 'aviral-nirmal' (free flowing and clean) will have to be fulfilled. The process of setting up STPs should be accelerated to save the rivers from sewage and filth... More efforts should be made for urban solid waste management to ensure uninterrupted and clean water of all rivers, including the Ganga," he said. Adityanath said river Ganga is a unique gift given of nature to Uttar Pradesh and most of the areas of flow of the river are in the state. "It is the centre point of our faith and it is also the mainstay of the economy. With the ...
Steps have been taken for identifying unauthorised constructions on the ecologically fragile floodplain of the Ganga in Patna by using geo-mapping technology, the Union government has told the Supreme Court. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Patna resident Ashok Kumar Sinha against June 30, 2020 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissing his petition against illegal constructions and permanent encroachments on the floodplain. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia the exercise will take time. "Additional Solicitor General apprises this Court that steps have been taken by the concerned Ministry for identifying unauthorised constructions, if any, on the flood of the river plain Ganga in and around the location over which complaints have been made by the appellant by using Geo Mapping technology and it will take sometime to complete this process," the bench noted. The top court directed the Centre t
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over the continuous erosion of the Ganga River bank in Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia districts. She requested the PM to advise the ministry concerned to conduct a detailed study, involving all stakeholders, and formulate an integrated plan to control the situation. Banerjee said the interventions would have high-cost implications, and also urged the prime minister to ensure that suitable budgetary provisions are made for the same under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP). While noting that he had written a similar letter in February this year but nothing had moved forward, the chief minister said anti-erosion efforts had been attempted piecemeal with no holistic approach being taken. "There is a need for permanent restoration works instead of such palliative activities. I would therefore request you to kindly advise the concerned ministry (Jal Shakti Ministr
Water level in the Ganga crossed the danger mark in Varanasi on Saturday, inundating many agricultural and residential areas on the banks of the holy river and its tributaries. The district administration, in a statement, said that 18 municipal wards and more than 80 villages have been affected by the floods in Ganga and its tributary Varuna in the district and 228.69 hectares of crops have been damaged in the district. According to the Central Water Commission, the water level of the Ganga crossed the danger mark of 71.26 meters and reached 71.50 meters by 10 am on Saturday. Sud-divisional magistrate (Sadar) Hansika Dixit said that 68 villages of Varanasi Sadar have been affected by the floods and as many as 10,104 flood victims have been shifted to 18 relief camps. The Varanasi district has three tehsils - Sadar, Pindra and Rajatalab, All necessary arrangements have been made to provide food and other necessities, the SDM said, adding that the teams of the district administratio
Some major ghats have submerged due to rising water level in river Ganga, causing difficulties in performing puja and other religious events. The district administration said as Harish Chandra Ghat and Manikarnika Ghat have been inundated, last rites are now being carried out at relatively higher places. A control room number has been issued as there is a possibility of a flood-like situation. Forty relief camps are also being set up, it said. Officials are keeping a close watch on the colonies located on the banks of rivers Ganga and Varuna, it said. According to the Central Water Commission, river Ganga was flowing at 69.77 metre, while the danger mark is 71.262 metre.