No sanction to any new dam on Ganga if it impedes uninterrupted flow of water: Ministry

NEW DELHI: Construction of any new dam across the Ganga may now be very difficult. Considering existing dams to be a major hindrance to its ongoing river cleaning efforts, the Union water resources ministry has instructed the central water commission ( CWC) not to give its nod for any new dam in future if it does not ensure uninterrupted flow of water.

READ ALSO:

Neeri may complete tests on Ganga waters in a month

Ganga water unfit for bathing at Allahabad, Varanasi

The missive to the commission follows the government's assertion that it does not want any obstacle in the way of its deadline to clean the river stretch along 11 major towns\cities, including Haridwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata, in the next three years.
Making her intent clear over the prospect of any new dam across the river, Union water resources and Ganga rejuvenation minister Uma Bharti disclosed the ministry's instruction to the CWC during a meeting on the river cleaning exercise with officials of Uttar Pradesh government in Allahabad on Monday.

The instruction has, incidentally, been given to the commission at a time when an expert panel, set up by the government, has been studying the impact of existing and proposed dams on the flow of the river. The panel's report is expected to be taken as a guide to take a final call on fate of any new dam on the river.

Bharti has long been pitching for maintaining e-flow (ecological flow) of the river as any effort to clean the river may not show results if its natural flow is obstructed. Rivers have a self-cleansing ability provided they have uninterrupted flow of water round the year. Water storage\withdrawal by dams, however, invariably affects the flow of the river, making it vulnerable.

The minister had earlier in February even written to the Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar over the issue, requesting him keep in mind experts' advice while taking a final call over the dam issue as it is essential to maintain ‘aviral dhara' (continuous flow of water) of the river to keep the Ganga ‘nirmal' (clean).

Bharti's ministry is particularly against the six proposed hydro power projects in Uttarakhand which, it thinks, would severely affect the e-flow of the Ganga. She had even suggested taking the solar energy route in a big way to meet electricity demand in case the government decides against allowing new hydro-power projects on the upper reaches of the Ganga.

Speaking about her ministry's plan to clean the river stretch along 11 identified towns\cities in three years, Bharti said that similar works would also be initiated at 1,619 village panchayats where 100 villages have already been identified for finishing the cleaning projects in next three months by taking up multiple measures.

She said that works relating to setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) in these towns\cities would be completed by 2018. All the existing drains in Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi would also be tapped by that time so that untreated water does not flow into the river, said Bharti while appealing to the UP government for its consistent support to the Centre's Clean Ganga mission.