Indian post offices start selling Ganges water

Indian government has initiated a service to sell water from Ganges from its post offices across the country, officials said Monday.

Water from Ganges River is considered to be holy by Hindus.

The service was launched by India's federal ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Manoj Sinha on Sunday at Patna city, the capital of eastern Indian state of Bihar.

"Now holy Gangajal (Ganga water) from Gangotri and Rishikesh will be available at all the post offices at nominal prices," Prasad said. "With this Indian Post will also deliver Gangajal to people's doorstep."

The water from Ganges will be sold in packaged bottles and the plan to sell it was mooted on May 30 this year.

Officials said people can also place their orders online and get the water delivered at their doorsteps.

Many Hindus believe that water from Ganges has the power to wash away sins of humans.

The river Ganga originates from icy Himalayan peaks of Uttarakhand and flown down to the Bay of Bengal. Though revered by Indian Hindus, the Ganges during its course is slowly poisoned with industrial wastes and pollution from the population that reside along its banks.

Stretched over the length of 2,525 km Ganges is the third largest river in the world but also one of the most polluted.

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, after assuming power in 2014 pledged to clean up the Ganges, a promise yet to be fulfilled. Endit