Eco-task battalion to be operational in 2 months: Uma

VARANASI: Union water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation minister Uma Bharati on Sunday announced that under the Namami Ganga project an eco-task force battalion of Territorial Army would become operational within two months to rejuvenate the ecosystem along Ganga.
Talking to reporters at Circuit House on Sunday, Bharati said that four battalions of eco-task force was being raised for Ganga rejuvenation.One of them would look into action. "The Eco-task force will be environmental. They will guard plantation across Ganga, ensure dumping of solid wastes in identified areas only and pious refuse management. They will also monitor ongoing works for cleaning Ganga and management of wastes at ghats during festivals when large number of people throng ghats for holy dip," said Bharati, adding that the officer commanding the battalion would be a regular army officers.
Earlier, during a meeting with Jal Kal, Jal Nigam, Varanasi Municipal Corporation officials and representatives of National Mission for Clean Ganga in afternoon, the minister discussed packaging for surface cleaning of Ganga. "Today, we discussed intensive river surface cleaning along the banks of river Ganga in detail. Everything necessary will be pushed into service to arrest the floating material and tackle river surface pollution," said Bharati, adding that the work of surface cleaning of Ganga and engagement of Eco-task force battalions in ecosystem management would be completed within two years.
Besides, there are 144 nullahs that directly and 250 nullahs that temporarily flow into Ganga. Efforts to stop their flow too would be initiated, said the minister and reiterated that the impact of cleanliness of the first phase of river Ganga would be visible by October 2016 and that the entire Ganga would become ‘aviral’ and ‘nirmal’ within three to four years.
Another meeting was convened with environmental scientists and river experts of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). "I met people from BHU working on cause of Ganga and saw some slides and presentations. I was also apprised of late Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra’s proposal in detail. We have decided to rope in all institutions near Ganga and IITs across the country, seek their advice and start pilot projects if required as they have been working on its cause and are well aware of what is required for cleanliness," she said.
Vice-chancellor of BHU, Prof. GC Tripathi also met Bharati at Circuit House on Sunday.