India

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Varanasi District administration on Saturday  invoked section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code on the banks of the River Ganga to keep it clean.

Sub divisional magistrate, Atal Rai, said stern action would be taken if someone violates the orders.

"Some prohibitory orders have been issued under section 144 of the CrPC under which use of detergent, cleaning of cattle, throwing of polythene bags, garbage and direct flowing of the sewers have been banned. If somebody violates these norms, action will be taken against him under the related section,” Rai said.

However, organisations dedicated to clean the Ganga are sceptical.

"If these rules are implemented, it will be the best thing. But some sewers are still flowing directly into the Ganga. Restricting cleaning of cattle, throwing of garbage and human waste will not do much. A dozen sewers are directly flowing into the river should be stopped and alternative arrangements should be made,” said Dinesh Kumar Dubey, secretary of Ganga Seva Nidhi.

The River Ganga is one of the largest and revered rivers of the country supporting a large population on its banks. The Centre has estimated that it would require an initial investment of $4 billion in the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) to achieve its immediate objective of stopping all discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluent into the Ganga by 2020. (ANI)