Thakkar said "review of Farakka barrage is a must if

Ganga has to be rejuvenated because Ganga cannot flow uninterruptedly untill Farakka is there on.....there will be floods in Bihar, but Farakka has greater role in making floods dreadful in the state."

Thakkar, who suggested that the gates of Farakka be opened during monsoon to mitigate the intensity of floods in Bihar, said there was an urgent need for a comprehensive study of the Farakka barrage to find out its achievements or whether the barrage fulfilled its objectives.

The committee or panel constituted for study must include the Centre, Bihar, West Bengal and all states having Ganga, he said adding that a study should be made on the social and livelihood impact of the barrage, how it affected people's lives, whether its existence was justified and cost-benefit assessment among other issues.

Punjab's environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who transformed the polluted Kali Bein rivulet in Punjab, said "pollution of river Ganga can also be dealt with if we stop releasing untreated water and putting solid waste directly into the Ganga. If we have made it possible in Kali Bein then why can't Ganga in Patna or Kanpur be cleaned." "We don't need money if we take resolution that we'll not pollute river Ganga...Ganga cannot be cleaned with the construction of concrete river front, even sand shores look neat and clean if we maintain it," Seechewal said.

Bihar CM along with top officials and engineers had visited Punjab on February 19 last to see the Seechewal model personally.

Economist Bharat Junjhunwala read out a six-point draft proposal that was circulated for discussion at the conference.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)