‘Namami Gange’ won’t succeed sans silt management: Nitish

Patna, Aug 22 (PTI) Identifying deposition of silt afterconstruction of Farraka dam as the principal reason forswelling of Ganga, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar todaysaid the Centre’s ambitious "Namami Gange" programme would notbe successful till a way was found for silt management. "From the day of construction of Farraka dam, silt isdeposited in Ganga river regularly causing flood in theriver," Kumar told a function at state Legislative Councilannexe building here. "Who benefitted from Farakka dam, only Centre would beknowing," he said. "Siltation in Ganga should be studied to find asolution for silt management. Till this is done, the Uniongovernment’s ambitious ‘Namami Gange’ programme would not besuccessful," he added. The Bihar CM said he told Union Home minister RajnathSingh, who had called him up on Bihar flood situation lastnight, to send a team of experts to assess the situation inorder to find a solution to regular swelling of Ganga river. Bihar has always underscored on formulation of aNational Silt Policy, he said at a function to launch amagazine ‘Yugantar Prakiti’ whose chief patron is Jharkhandminister Saryu Rai. Since the inception of Ganga River Basin Authority, hehad been raising the issue of siltation in Ganga river in itsmeeting and also at other platforms, Kumar said. "After one of the meetings of the Authority, I hadinvited the then water resources minister Pawan Bansal tovisit Patna to have a view of river Ganga. I had told himabout siltation in Ganga from Buxar upto Farraka," he added. To highlight the ill effect of siltation in Ganga, the CMsaid the river has become shallow and in the last 10 yearsthere has been a marked change in water current in the river. With Ganga in spate, Kumar said the Centre should findto a solution to the problem caused by Farraka dam, which wascommissioned in 1975. PTI SNS SUSRT