118 local bodies to meet for Ganga cleaning plan

Stepping up efforts to check pollution in river Ganga, the ministries of water resources and urban development have joined hands and called for a meeting of elected chiefs of 118 urban local bodies from five states to chalk out an action plan.

Stepping up efforts to check pollution in river Ganga, the ministries of water resources and urban development have joined hands and called for a meeting of elected chiefs of 118 urban local bodies from five states to chalk out an action plan.

In a meeting between Water Resources minister Uma Bharati and Urban Development minister Venkaiah Naidu, the issues relating to release of untreated sewage from 118 cities in five states into the Ganga was discussed at New Delhi on Wednesday.

Both discussed the Ganga pollution issue and possible measures to be taken to address the problem, said a senior Urban Development Ministry official. The two Ministers felt the need for pro-active cooperation from governments of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal in formulation and execution of schemes to check pollution of the River Ganga from the 118 towns and cities that are located along the river, according to the official.

Both of them agreed to convene a meeting of Ministers of Urban Development of these five states along with the Principle Secretaries of Urban Development, Mayors and Chairpersons and Commissioners of 118 urban bodies, he said.

Secretaries of the two ministries have been asked to work out the modalities for holding the meeting of all concerned local bodies.