He called rivers as our lifeline
Akhilesh Yadav. (Photo: PTI/File)
Lucknow: UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said on Wednesday that his government would fully cooperate with Centre in cleaning of rivers.
The chief minister, who was inaugurating the 35th Junior National Rowing Championships being held at the Gomati river here, said that cleaning rivers is important since rivers are our lifeline and also a part of our culture and identity.
The chief minister pointed out that in ancient times, trade was mostly done through waterways. “The Gomti flows through Lucknow and several important buildings are located on its banks. A definite budget is needed to ensure cleaning of rivers,” he said.
In an obvious reference to the PM’s ‘Swachchh Bharat’ campaign, the chief minister said, “A competition has started in the name of cleanliness and we will have to think which direction we have to go”. Mr Yadav was recently nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with eight other public figures to promote the cleanliness programme in the state.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the “Swachchh Bharat” campaign launched by PM Narendra Modi at Assi Ghat during his Varanasi visit last week, was temporarily halted by the state forest department officials who claimed that the use of machines in the process will adversely affect aquatic life in Tortoise Wild Life Sanctuary there.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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