Jamshedpur, Jan 15 (PTI) JD(U) legislator and former Jharkhand minister Saryu Roy emphasised the need to dedicate at least one day every month to work on riverbanks to ensure continuous and uninterrupted flow of rivers.
“Continuous flow of river water is essential and we need to commit at least one day each month to keep the rivers clean and maintain the flow of clean water,” said Roy while speaking at the 20th Swarnarekha Mahotsav here on Tuesday evening.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Roy said Makar Sankranti was specifically chosen for the Mahotsav to encourage public participation in the campaign to clean rivers.
“Twenty years ago, when we used to collect samples of river water for testing, people used to laugh at us but various NGOs are working on it today for cleanliness of rivers,” the former parliamentary affairs, food, public distribution and consumer affair minister of Jharkhand said.
Roy expressed concern over domestic garbage being directly dumped on riverbanks, ultimately flowing into the rivers.
“Domestic garbage is a major contributor to contamination,” he said, adding that rivers have become dumping grounds for waste, which is harmful because we eventually drink water from these same rivers. “How much contaminated water can a machine filter?” he asked.
Former BJP Jharkhand president Dineshanand Goswami also expressed concern about environmental pollution. “We are neither getting clean water nor clean air today,” Goswami said, warning that the situation could worsen in the next 20 to 25 years. PTI BS MNB
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