Post Dec, UP won’t release drain water in Ganga: Yogi

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said drain water will not be released in the Ganga in his state after December.

Yogi, who was here to lay the foundation stone of a Uttar Pradesh government hotel, said he got assurance from his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat about cooperation for making Namami Gange project a success.

“We are committed that no drain opens up in Ganga. The success of Namami Gange project depends on mutual efforts by the UP and Uttarakhand governments,” the BJP leader said.

“Both the states will also work on joint project on water conservation as mooted by the Uttarakhand CM,” Yogi told reporters.

On his maiden visit to Haridwar, Yogi described the Ganga as being the vital link between both the states, assuring people that both the governments were working and committed to cleaning the holy river.

He also said assets, including Ganga canal management and irrigation department residential and non-residential land disputes, that have been bone of contention for the past 17 years between Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be resolved amicably.

While laying foundation stone of 41 crore UP Tourism Development Corporation hotel ‘Bhagirathi’, adjacent to Alaknanda hotel on the banks of Ganga near Har-Ki-Pauri, Yogi said it was a landmark moment for both the states as UP had handed out Alaknanda hotel to Uttarakhand while reciprocating to this gesture Rawat has given UP land to construct another hotel.

“I thank the Uttarakhand government also for agreeing to provide land for construction of a UP state guest house at Badrinath dham. We will ensure Uttarakhand has its own state house in Lucknow,” said Yogi, who also referred to his ancestral roots being in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.

Notably, Alaknanda hotel, built in 1964, was handed over earlier this year to Uttarakhand by the Uttar Pradesh government. Uttarakhand as mark of gesture sanctioned 2,964 sq metre land, just adjacent to Alaknanda hotel, to the UP government for constructing 100 room hotel.

Yogi also sought adequate amount of water flow from Uttarakhand to Uttar Pradesh for Prayag Ardh Kumbh, scheduled to be held in January 2019.

Besides, he lauded reconstruction and other measures being undertaken by the Uttarkhand government for Chardham pilgrimage that is witnessing record footfall of pilgrims, with a major chunk being from Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, Yogi along with Rawat visited sanctum sanctorum of Braham Kund, Har-Ki-Pauri, where he performed rituals at the Ganga and also took a pledge to maintain sanctity and purity of the river.