Clean Ganga

‘Clean Ganga’ shifts focus to conservation, tourism, and livelihood.

The Ministry of Tourism will create a comprehensive plan for developing tourism circuits along the Ganga following Arth Ganga, organic farming, and cultural activities.

A Brief Introduction to the Policy
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 on August 12, 2011.
- The consortium serves as the National Ganga River Basin Authority’s implementation arm (NGRBA).
- It was established under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1986 to address pollution issues in the Ganga river.
- This project’s operational area includes the Ganges Basin and all states through which the river flows, including Delhi.
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga’s goal is to reduce pollution and revitalise the Ganga river.
Objectives of the policy
- The mission includes rehabilitating and upgrading existing STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) and immediate short-term steps to reduce pollution at riverfront exit points to reduce sewage inflow.
- To restore and maintain surface and groundwater flow.
- To conserve and regenerate the river Ganga basin’s aquatic and riparian biodiversity.
- Allowing the public to participate in the river’s protection, rejuvenation, and management.
- And to keep the water flowing without interfering with the natural seasonal variations.

The Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1986 envisions a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to prevent, control, and decrease environmental pollution in the Ganga river.
According to the act, the model structure will comprise the following:
- National Ganga Council under the chairmanship of the Honourable Prime Minister of India.
- Empowered Task Force (ETF) under the chairmanship of Honourable Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
- State Ganga Committees
- And the District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting the Ganga river and its tributaries in states.
Implementation of the National Mission for Clean Ganga is undertaken across three phases:
- Entry-level activities:
  - Include immediate, visible-impact activities such as river surface cleaning, rural sanitation to prevent pollution entering the river through rural sewage drains, renovation, modernisation and construction of crematoria & ghats to improvise the human-river connection.
- Medium-term activities:
  - Comprise activities that arrest municipal and industrial pollution entering the river.
- Long-term activities:
  - These consist of providing adequate flow to the river, enhancing usage efficiency and improving the efficiency of surface irrigation.

Namami Gange Programme
- Firstly, it is an Integrated Conservation Mission designated as a “Flagship Programme” by the Union Government in June 2014.
- Furthermore, to achieve the twin goals of effective pollution abatement and conservation and rejuvenation of the National River Ganga.
Ganga Action Plan
- In 1985, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change adopted the first River Action Plan.
- And to improve water quality by intercepting, diverting, and treating domestic sewage.
National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA)
- The Government of India established it in 2009 under Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.
- Ganga was designated as India’s “National River” in 2008.

Currently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga aims to improve its ecology and conserve biodiversity by ensuring ecological flow and protecting wetlands and springs.
Additionally, it also focuses on rejuvenating smaller rivers.
The mission will also focus on strengthening grassroots institutions and implementing community driver programmes.

Pic Courtesy: The Hindu

Content Source: The Hindu