VARANASI, Aug. 18 -- After the floodwater has receded, the temple town is now facing the problem of thick layers of silt deposited on the ghats, ranging from 3 feet to up to 20 feet. Although the task of silt removal has already started, the experts say it will take another two months to clear the ghats. Even if seven to eight tons of silt is removed in a day, it will take 70 to 80 days to clean it. The Varanasi Nagar Nigam has undertaken the work of cleaning the Dasashwamedh Ghat which has around 20 feet of silt. The local people here are also engaged in cleaning. The silt is deposited in Mata Sheetla Temple as well. Four feet of silt has accumulated on the platform of Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat. Ghanshyam Singh, supervisor, Varanasi Nagar Nigam said that four pumps and a team of labourers have been deployed to clean the platform of Assi Ghat and it will take around 10 days to complete the task. Overall, 20 pumps, and 50 vehicles have been deployed for clearing the garbage while 100 machines are being used for fogging and a force of 1,500 employees have been pressed into action to clear the silt at ghats. As per SK Singh, a retired personnel from urban service, in case of a flood between July and September, after the flood water recedes, the silt removing work continues till Dev Deepawali. "The work of removing silt has started at major ghats, and is going on continuously at the ghats where water level has receded, " said Varanasi Nagar Nigam authorities. According to locals living near the ghats, the cleaning is completed by Dev Deepawali and silt removal takes almost 60 days. Meanwhile, due to the reverse flow from Nagwan drain during the flood, silt reached the houses of Gangotri Vihar, Sangam Puri and Harijan Basti....