A flock of migratory Siberian birds over the river Ganga in Varanasi. (Rajesh Kumar/Hindustan Times via GettyImages) Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has announced that his government intends to completely stop the release of raw sewerage by 2022, reports Indian Express.
Shekhawat said that his ministry is working in top gear to meet the 2022 deadline, adding that Uttarakhand and Jharkhand have already accomplished the task. He also promised to make the whole river suitable for religious rituals by the end of 2019.
Seeking public participation in rejuvenating the nation's sacred asset, Shekhawat said that everyone from the common to the corporate sector need to contribute to achieve the task in hand.
He said that it is not possible to achieve safe drinking water while wasting water in showers. He also expressed his willingness to formulate an industrial discharge policy along with private companies.
Shekhawat said that currently, a mere 22 km stretch from Wazirabad to Okhla, accounts for 76 per cent of the total pollution levels in the river.
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