New Delhi:The Centre will strictly ensure e-flow of rivers and not allow any dam construction or other such activity if a river’s flow is less than 1,000 cusec, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Friday said.
Rivers were endangered in the name of creation of irrigation dams and power projects, but now no such construction would be allowed if a river’s flow is less than 1000 cusec, the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation said after inaugurating a Deendayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojna (DDU-GKY) centre at Pratap University here, 50km away from Jaipur.
A pond, if it is ruined during some construction work, may be restored, but a rivers cannot be revived if its flow was obstructed, she said.
“Recently, there was some project in Uttarakhand and there was danger to the flow of the river. I told them that river basin is my subject and comes under the ministry, so I will not approve if the water flow is less than 1,000 cusec,” she said.
“The river’s flowing season and site of construction of any dam or project would be followed under e-flow of rivers,” she said.
On the clean-up of rivers, including the Ganga, the minister said the Centre has earmarked Rs 20,000 crore for sewage and effluent treatment plants.