AGRA, July 24 -- Fatehpur Sikri MP Rajkumar Chahar on Thursday raised in Parliament the issue of construction of barrage on the Yamuna to address the declining ground water level in Agra district. He said Agra is globally renowned for its historical, cultural and tourism significance. "However the groundwater level in Agra and its surrounding areas has been continuously declining and affecting the availability of drinking water besides creating difficulties for farmers requiring water for irrigation purposes," the BJP MP said. "The barrage will ensure water storage, facilitate groundwater recharge, improve the declining water table in Agra and provide a sustainable source of water for drinking and irrigation purposes," Chahar said. He stressed that the excessive extraction of ground water, coupled with inadequate flow in the river Yamuna, has raised concerns that the region may face even more severe water crises in the future. The MP urged the Centre to get a detailed project report for the construction of the barrage at an appropriate location on the Yamuna and ensure expeditious approval of the project....