Cleaning of Yamuna: Uma Bharti promises to work pro-actively

NEW DELHI: Promising to cleanse the polluted Yamuna river, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti today said she would pro-actively work to get clearances from various ministries for developing the crucial source of water for Delhi.

"I had a meeting with Delhi LG (Lieutenant Governor) Najeeb Jung and discussed cleaning of Yamuna river which is flowing through the national capital. A wing has been set up with DDA for the purpose. The officials of the wing will meet us ( Ministry of Water Resources) for sorting out issues concerned," she told reporters here.

Extending full cooperation to Government of NCT Delhi in making Yamuna pollution free, she said that a meeting in this regard will be held in a couple of days.

Close on the heels of a secretaries-level group to rejuvenate the Ganga river, the Water Resources Ministry had already setup a separate committee for cleansing the polluted Yamuna river in Delhi.

Bharti also said that 2015-16 would be observed as the year of 'Water Conservation', while emphasising on the need for interlinking of rivers in the country.

"We have planned to announce 2015-16 as the year of water conservation... We are ready to interlink rivers keeping environment in mind and we can do it in 10 years," the minister said.