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U.P. blames Uttaranchal for polluting Ganga

Paper mills' waste from Kashipur reaching the river

Lucknow: Reiterating its commitment towards a "clear and clean Ganga", the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday charged neighbouring Uttaranchal with polluting the holy river by releasing the waste from paper mills in Kashipur into its water.

However, the State Government announced it would release additional water in Ganga, in view of the protest by the saints and devotees at the ongoing Magh Mela in Allahabad.

State irrigation minister Munna Singh Chauhan said here that an additional 450 cusec of water has been released into the Ganga from the Narora dam on Saturday while the Uttaranchal government has been asked to release 1,000 cusec of water from the Bhagrathi river.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr. Chauhan said during a review meeting of the officials on Saturday night, it came to the notice that the paper mills of Kashipur pollute Dhela river which meets the Ganga river at Farrukhabad.

"We have also asked all the districts in between Farrukhabad and Allahabad to utilise the treatment plants and divert outflow from all the nullahs which had been releasing waste in the Ganga," he said.

A senior State government official has also been sent to Uttaranchal to deal with the Kashipur paper mill issue.

"The government can assure the saints that the availability of water in Ganga would increase by the next bathing festival on January 29 and February 3," the minister said, adding, however, that the water test in Ganga at Allahabad showed that it is fit for bathing and drinking.

Mr. Chauhan further said the water level in the sacred river pegged at 7315 cusec in January 2006, was higher than level for the corresponding period last year.

During the Makar Sankranti festival on January 14, the saints and kalpvasis had boycotted bathing in the river at Allahabad during the Magh Mela over pollution.

Meanwhile, the minister also charged Delhi and Haryana with being behind the pollution in the Yamuna river. "Delhi is giving polluted water to Uttar Pradesh, resulting in drinking water problems at Agra and Mathura," Mr Chauhan said while asserting that the State Government would make its submission in the Supreme Court very soon on the issue. -- UNI

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