SC raps govt on Ganga clean up, seeks explanation
New Delhi, Aug 13 (IBNS) The Supreme Court has rapped the BJP government at the centre on the pace of cleaning up the Ganga, saying it has no urgency to save the river while having time for lesser issues.
"Are you saving the Holy River?" the SC asked the counsel of the central government even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to do something for the river wilting under pollution after he won the election from none other than Varanasi on the banks of India's lifeline river.
"You are showing no urgency in this matter. But only in other matters," Justice Thakur told the Solicitor General who sought two more weeks to respond.
The SC thus gave the government only two weeks to explain their position on cleaning up the river.
Taking a dig at the government the apex court said "some issues that ought to be on the back burner are being put out on the front burner."
It has asked for a roadmap and status report on the clean up mission by Sept 3
During his election campaign, Narendra Modi had assured to do his bit to clean up the river.
Uma Bharti has been appointed the Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation. She said she needed some weeks to prepare a detailed proposal on cleaning up the river.
The present government has allocated Rs 2037 crore in the current budget for cleaning the river as Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely announced an integrated Ganga conservation mission, called “Namami Gange”.
Running for 2,510 kilometres, the Ganga is India’s longest river, irrigating 40 percent of the country’s land and providing fresh water to 500 million people who live along its banks.
But a study conducted by the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) in 2011 slotted the Ganga’s waters into the most polluted “D” category, owing to the steady flow of human faeces, urine and human and industrial sewage into the river.
India’s leading Ganga activists believe big dams are to blame.
Top Headlines
-
News
India, China have completed disengagement: Reports
October 31, 2024
-
News
Uzbekistan parties supporting President Mirziyoyev win parliamentary elections as country undergoes reforms
October 29, 2024
-
News
Sanction Indian diplomats, ban RSS: anti-India Canadian leader Jagmeet Singh goes ballistic
October 16, 2024
-
News
Hezbollah drone attack on military base kills four Israeli soldiers
October 14, 2024
-
News
Trudeau govt's vote bank politics: India toughens stand against Canada after latest tirade over Nijjar killing
October 14, 2024
-
News
Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which claimed responsibility for Baba Siddique's murder, sends Salman Khan a message
October 14, 2024
-
News
RG Kar: Bengal junior doctors to hold protest march to Raj Bhavan on 10th day of hunger strike today
October 14, 2024
-
News
Tamil Nadu derailment: 19 injured in Darbhanga Bagmati Express collision with goods train, 13 coaches jump track
October 12, 2024
-
News
Distasteful and disgraceful: Amit Shah on Mallikarjun Kharge's 'won't die till Modi is removed from power' remark
September 30, 2024
-
News
Keep Gods away from politics: Supreme Court slams Andhra govt over Tirupati laddoo row
September 30, 2024