A file photo of Union water resources minister Uma Bharti. Photo: MintNew Delhi: At a time when devastating floods have claimed over 700 lives in parts of the country, Union minister Uma Bharti on Saturday made a strong pitch for desilting and interlinking of rivers to combat the problem in the long run. And states which reported floods in the past, the situation there has deteriorated,” she told reporters in New Delhi. The minister said such a situation has emerged mainly because accumulation of silt in huge quantities in rivers, particularly the Ganga and its tributaries. Till Friday, the devastating floods this year had claimed 418, 156, 90, and 72 lives in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, respectively.

Source: Mint August 26, 2017 13:18 UTC