File Photo: Narendra Modi performs the "Ganga Puja" with BJP president Rajnath Singh and other party leaders on the banks of the River Ganga in Varanasi on May 17.
A detailed report on cleaning the Ganga river, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project, will be ready before the start of the next session of Parliament in July. A note outlining the roadmap to clean and revitalize the river will be prepared and moved to the Union Cabinet for approval.
This was decided today in a meeting of four ministries which have been drafted in by the Prime Minister to pool their resources and expertise to kickstart his dream project.
Mr Modi, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Varanasi by an impressive margin, in his speeches, has been stressing that he had been called to Varanasi to serve "Ma Ganga".
To prove that he means business on cleaning up the Ganga river, the PM has set up an Inter-Ministerial Group, which held its first meeting on Wednesday. The group met in New Delhi again today under the chairpersonship of shipping minister Nitin Gadkari. Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation minister Uma Bharti was also present in the meeting, which also included the minister of tourism, Shripad Naik and minister of environment, Prakash Javadekar.
"The plan is not anti-development,'' said Nitin Gadkari while briefing reporters about the meeting's outcome.
Uma Bharti said, "We have learned from the experience of Sabarmati (river) gave us the confidence that even a polluted river can be cleaned. "She added that their focus would not be restricted to Ganga. "Season, site and rainfall-specific plans for different rivers will be readied. A Group of Secretaries will work out a detailed plan for each river."
The ministers said that a technical committee will be formed to examine the feasibility of building barrages along the length of river Ganga, and their heights.
On a proposal to shipping on inland waterways, Mr Gadkari said a depth of 3 metres and a certain width of the river was needed to even consider any kind of navigation. "It will work out to be cheaper, if inland waterways cost 50 paise per unit and road transportation cost Rs 1.5 per unit," he pointed out.