Clean Ganga: 3 sewage treatment plans approved.

In its first step to clean the Ganga, the National Democratic Alliance government cleared three sewage-treatment plants in Bihar and West Bengal. Together, the plants will entail investment of Rs. 290 crore.

Two sewage plants in Patna and one sewage integration and treatment plant at Budge Budge, West Bengal, have been sanctioned for 'pollution abatement', under the National Ganga River Basin Authority, it is learnt. In West Bengal, a sewerage network (door-to-door connectivity for collection and disposal of waste water after treatment) across 131.59 km, with capacity of 9.3 million litres a day, was sanctioned.

Speaking to Business Standard, environment minister Prakash Javadekar said 70 per cent of the funds for the plants would be granted by the Centre and rest by states. 'This is an absolutely important step towards cleaning the Ganga,' he said.

BS