Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked Chief Ministers and representatives of Ganga Basin states to “create enough awareness to stop pollution” of the river in their respective areas.
Chairing the fifth meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority here, Mr. Modi observed that the task of cleaning the Ganga was “challenging” and required an “uncompromising mission-mode approach.” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav skipped the meeting of the apex body which was chaired for the first time by the Prime Minister. They sent their representatives instead.
Stressing the river’s potential to generate immense economic activity and bring about “attitudinal changes in the country,” Mr. Modi urged States to pay special attention to the development of towns and villages located on the banks of the river. “The faith and devotion associated with the river should be converted into a feeling of responsibility and this cannot be done without ‘jan bhagidari’[people’s participation],” he added.
