Hope over Varanasi
6 Apr, 2015
The hope over Varanasi would have been unthinkable a year ago. Local civic authorities had almost given up on this city of 15 lakh people with a population density of 2,400 persons per square km — till the point Modi entered Varanasi.
Apparent proactivity
6 Apr, 2015
Modi's apparent proactivity has had an unintended ruboff effect, which Radhika Ranjan Tiwari, a priest at the Vishwanath temple, spells out: 'There's a chain reaction.
After the PM came to Varanasi, the CM [Akhilesh Yadav] too has become more active.' The healthy competition it seems is working well for the wellbeing of this ancient city. 'Many of the projects that were stalled since ages got approved recently.'
Catalytic effect
6 Apr, 2015
BP Singh, a professor of statistics at BHU, explains Modi's catalytic effect. ' On his own, he may not have achieved much as of now but his entry in Varanasi has galvanised many NGOs, global organisations and individuals to participate for the uplift of the city.'
There's hope - and not hype
6 Apr, 2015
Alok Kumar Rai, professor at Faculty of Management Studies, BHU, says certainly there's hope — and not hype — that things will change in the city.
Work by two young women
6 Apr, 2015
Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi recently praised two yong women, Temsutula Imsong and Darshika Shah, for their cleanliness initiative at 'Prabhu ghat' in Varanasi.
Appreciating their efforts Modi, tweeted on March 31, 'This effort by @temsultulaimsong & the entire team to clean the ghats in Varanasi is phenomenal! I salute them.'
Work by two young women
6 Apr, 2015
Nagaland native Temsutula and Darshika, a local, both in their 20's - during a boat ride on February 12 saw the filth on Prabhu ghat and decided to take up the task of cleaning it
'We made our effort to clean Prabhu Ghat with more than 20 team members. The ghat has now been cleaned in nearly a months time. We need to have bio-toilets or floating toilets so that poor people living on or near these ghats may not use it for open defecation or urination,' the young women told PTI.
Expressing happiness at PM's praise, the girls said, 'The PM's praise to ordinary people like us will encourage many youths to take up such tasks for nation building,' they said.
PM Modi's one-year report card for Varanasi
6 Apr, 2015
> Opened a Trade Facilitation Centre for weavers
> Signed a deal with Japan to transform Varanasi into a 'smart heritage city' on the Kyoto model
> Spearheaded work for the desilting of Assi Ghat Wi-Fi connectivity along the major ghats
> Kicked off Swachh Varanasi mission
> Pushed for construction of Ring road around Varanasi Adopted Jayapur village
(With inputs from PTI)
Clean Ganga not possible without clean Yamuna: Uma Bharati - The Economic Times
By PTI | 6 Apr, 2015, 05.58PM IST
MATHURA: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati has said the Centre will soon start fulfilling the promises made for cleaning up River Yamuna.
Saying that the government is committed to the cause of cleaning up the river, the minister added that the plans for rejuvenation of river Ganga also include cleaning up of Yamuna as it is not possible to clean Ganga without cleaning Yamuna.
Bharati, who arrived here on Saturday night, said a committee has been formed under the Secretary of Environment Ministry and it will prepare a report on the demands for the rejuvenation of Yamuna which will be implemented by the Centre after perusal.
She said the government will soon table a Bill in the Parliament for cleaning and interlinking of Yamuna, Ganga and other holy rivers which will also fulfill the dreams of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Bharati also said that she has spoken to Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi on the plan of Yamuna rejuvenation and it will yeild positive results.
Gageshwarnath Chaturvedi, a petitioner at Allahabad High Court working to make Yamuna pollution-free also met the Union minister and demanded for cleaning the river in Mathura-Vrindavan at the earliest.