Union minister to inspect Godavari pollution

Vijayawada: Union minister of state for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel will visit Rajamahendravaram in January to assess the pollution of the Godavari river caused by effluents.

Godavari Parirakshana Samithi president T.K. Visweswara Reddy and ONGC former executive director D.M.R. Sekhar told the media in Rajamahendravaram on Wednesday that a representation on the pollution of the Godavari river with the effluents from AP Paper Mill was submitted to the Union minister of state for Jal Shakti through a water conservationist known as ‘water man of India’ Rajendra Singh and added that within 24 hours the Union minister responded by agreeing to visit Rajamahendravaram to inspect the pollution of the river.

He stated that the Godavari river was being polluted by municipal sewage in addition to industrial effluent from the paper mill and emphasised the importance of the paper mill management taking responsibility for reducing water pollution in the river.

T.V. Visweswara Reddy said that he was taking up the stir only to ensure the water in the river did not become polluted as it was being used for drinking purposes and to take holy baths in the river by the devotees. He said that they were going to take up a postcard movement on Thursday to write letters to the President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister and Governor seeking their intervention to stop pollution of the Godavari river.