Govt ready for debate on Yamuna pollution

New Delhi: Amid concerns in Rajya Sabha over increasing pollution level in the Yamuna, the government on Thursday expressed readiness to hold a thorough discussion on the issue during the current session of Parliament.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Darshan Singh Yadav (SP) said it was a matter of serious concern that despite huge expenditure and Supreme Court and High Courts passing severe strictures against the government for its failure to check pollution, the situation was worsening. "There were 81 big factories along the periphery of Yamuna in 2000. The number now has increased to over 500 with factories including leather discharging chromium, arsenic and cadmium which are resulting in diseases like cancer," he said. Yadav said a `Yamuna Bachao Yatra` has been launched this month to save the Yamuna from pollution. "The underground water, which is being recharged by Yamuna waters is also getting polluted," he said. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said, "There is a consensus among various parties. There will be a discussion on this issue in this session itself." Raising another issue, Sanjiv Kumar (JMM) demanded setting up of a modern hospital in Jharkhand`s Dhanbad district from Coal India`s fund under corporate social responsibility (CSR) to cater to the people affected by coal mining. Drawing attention of the government towards lack of medical facilities in the area, he said, "Massive coal mining was being done in areas like Dhanbad and Giridih affecting population. When local people approached the hospitals, they were referred to far off areas like Delhi and Mumbai." PTI