New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Water Resources Vijay Goel on Monday told the Rajya Sabha: “Water of the Ganga was ‘by and large’ fit for bathing at Haridwar, but failed to meet the parameters ‘at certain times’ in the downstream.”
When asked a query in the Upper House of Parliament, Goel also said the Centre had adopted a ‘holistic’ approach to getting rid of the river waste under its Namami Gange programme, reports the Quint.
Goel was responding on whether the Central Pollution Control Board had pointed out that Ganga’s water was found to be unfit for bathing at Haridwar.
The minister further informed the Rajya Sabha that the government had sanctioned six sewage treatment projects in the city, along with four other specific pollution abatement initiatives undertaken in Uttarakhand.
He said the authorities concerned were conducting a ‘strong’ vigil on the industries at Haridwar to ensure a strict compliance with the stipulated environmental norms and implementation of the action plan on zero-liquid discharge and water conservation, the minister added. He also said the strict action was taken against the industries which had violated the regulations.