Centre planning dedicated university on Ganga rejuvenation

NEW DELHI: To give an impetus to the Ganga rejuvenation programme, the Ministry of Water Resources is considering setting up a dedicated university for the purpose.

"I do not have a definite answer now. Many things we are thinking about and it is one of them," Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti told reporters on the sidelines of an international conference on 'Natural Treatment System for Safe and Sustainable Water Supply in India: Results from Saaf'.

The NDA Government has accorded top priority to cleaning Ganga and the Centre had allocated Rs 2,037 crore for an integrated programme for the conservation of river Ganga named 'Namami Gange' in the Union Budget.

A committee comprising secretaries of various ministries has also been constituted to rejuvenate Ganga river.

Bharti also expressed concern over arsenic contamination in water in districts situated in Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and in parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Bharti said she would personally visit the arsenic- affected districts to assess the reason for it and to find out suitable ways to tackle this problem.

About 86 districts of the country are the worst affected by arsenic and another 282 districts by fluoride, she added.