Business house to renovate, clean up Varanasi ghat

Lucknow: Business magnate Sajjan Jindal has decided to undertake the projects of cleaning up the ghats in Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

The multi-crore renovation project has been cleared and Jindal Steel Works (JSW) will start the work to repair, clean and restore Harishchandra Ghat, which is mainly used for cremation purposes, from October 3.

According to reports, JSW will start with replacing the flooring of the ghat with sandstone and also construct a crematory platform.

The firm will be responsible for checking permissible levels of smoke and silting. The firm will check the flow of “puja samagri” into the river, control the flow of sewage, and create basins and “kunds” for ancillary cremation activities.

At present, wood used for pyres is left in random piles on the steps of the ghat, the benches are inconsistent and electricity poles are either damaged or not functional.

Sources said that the initial cost of the repair work to be undertaken by JSW will be around Rs 3.5 crore annually. Clearance was given after a committee set up by the Allahabad high court and headed by the Union ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation submitted its report and clearance to JSW.