The Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari today visited the pavilion set up by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) at Vigyan Bhawan lawns from 2nd June to 5th June 2018 to observe the World Environment Day, of which India is the global host this year. “Beat Plastic Pollution” is the theme for this year’s World Environment Day. Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri U.P Singh was also present on the occasion.Director General, NMCG Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra briefed the Union Minister about the components being displayed at the exhibition using innovative technologies like touch screen. The Minister took the Clean Ganga pledge at the pavilion.In the NMCG pavilion which is in Hall Number 1 at Vigyan Bhawan lawns, the projects and their progress under Namami Gange programme are being showcased. 204 projects costing Rs 21, 367 crore have been sanctioned till May 2018 as part of the Clean Ganga Mission. Out of these, 52 projects have already been completed and 97 are under progress. 55 projects are under tendering.
In Kanpur, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath presided over a one-day workshop on “Plastic Free Rivers” during which a detailed discussion took place on Ganga Haritima Abhiyan, a major afforestation drive being undertaken in Uttar Pradesh. NMCG officials also attended the workshop. For the year 2018-19, Rs. 21.86 crore has been sanctioned by NMCG for carrying out plantation in 4111 hectares of land, which is also part of the Haritima Abhiyan initiated by Uttar Pradesh.Besides, plantation drives were carried out by State Program Management Group (SPMG) at a few locations in Uttarakhand including Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh in which forest staff, Ganga Praharis, school children, and local villagers took part. The World Environment Day was also observed at Beur STP site in Bihar. Swachhta Abhiyan and plantation drive at Janvi ghat, Naugachhiya in Bihar was also carried out.