New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) Highlighting rivers as both ecological lifelines and cultural reservoirs, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil on Thursday said India's river systems are central to the country's heritage and future.

"India is a land of rivers. The world's finest river, the Ganga, flows in India. It is our duty not to pollute our rivers," Paatil said while inaugurating the 6th edition of the Nadi Utsav at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) here.

The minister said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, significant steps are being taken through Water Vision@2047 to ensure sustainable river conservation.

He said the government's work is being carried out at three levels -- short-term, mid-term and long-term -- to address challenges facing river systems.

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