Ahead of PM Modi's visit, Uma Bharti inspects progress of Clean Ganga Mission

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Varanasi on Thursday, Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday inspected the ongoing cleaning exercise in the river and its ghats in the holy city and announced that its sewage treatment capacity will be increased to 411.8 MLD from 101.8 MLD.

After inspecting the progress of Clean Ganga Mission from Assi Ghat to Dashashwamedha Ghat in Varanasi, Bharti said three new sewage treatment plants (STPs) will be constructed at Dinapur, Goithaha and Ramana at a cost of Rs 457 crore.

This will be sufficient to cater to the population of the city upto the year 2035, an official statement said, adding that Goithaha STP will prevent nine drains falling into river Varuna.

"Ramana STP will stop the flow of sewage into Ganga through Assi river. Bharti said her ministry will bear the entire cost of construction of these STPs and they will have the provision for reuse of treated water for agricultural purpose," the statement said.

Her ministry had taken up restoration and beautification of the ghats along the river Ganga in Varanasi on priority basis, she said.

"Under this programme, 24 hour cleaning of ghats, construction of bio-toilets and proper illumination of ghats, plantation of flowers and collection of waste flowers and other pooja material from the river will be taken up," it said.

The beautification programme is likely to start from October this year.