International Conference on Sustainable Clean Ganga Mission: Opportunities

and challenges
12th December 2014, New Delhi

Ganga Rejuvenation Programme

of
Ministry of WR, RD and GR

H K SAHU
Member Secretary
Upper Yamuna River Board
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development
and Ganga Rejuvenation
New Delhi, India

Ganga Rejuvenation Programme

Ganga (Bhagirathi) rises from the Gangotri

Glacier.
At Devprayag it is known as Ganga.
Ganga Basin is the largest river basin of the
country.
Basin houses about 40% population of India.
After traversing a distance of 2525 km it meets
Bay of Bengal at Ganga Sagar.
Ganga is polluted during course of its journey by
municipal sewage from large urban centers,
effluents from industries and polluting waste
from several other non-point sources.

Ganga Action Plan Phase-I

Main objective of GAP was to improve the water quality

of Ganga to acceptable standards by preventing the
pollution load reaching the river. The objective of GAP
was recast in June 1987 as restoring the river water
quality to the 'Bathing Class' standard .

FACTS

DATE OF LAUNCH : June 1985

ORIGINAL SANCTIONED COST : Rs. 256.26 crores
DATE OF REVISED APPROVAL : August 1994
REVISED SANCTIONED COST : Rs. 462.04 crores
expenditure 433.3 crores
TOWNS COVERED : 25 towns of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
and West Bengal.
DECLARED CLOSED ON : March 2000

Total wastewater estimated : 1340 MLD

Capacity created : 869MLD by 34 STP

Ganga Action Plan Phase-II

Phase II of Ganga Action Plan was started in stages
between 1993 & 1996.
Jharkhand; Uttarakhand; Delhi and Haryana states
included.

Objectives
Improving water quality of river Ganga.
To serve as a model to demonstrate the methodology for
improving the water quality of other polluted rivers.
441 projects in 95 cities under the plan.
Funding
Central & State Government Provided Share of 50:50.
After April 1997 Central Government took the full
responsibility of the project.
Government sanctioned Rs.2285.48 crore.
Implementation of the plan commenced w.e.f. 1.4.2001.
The funding pattern changed to 70:30 between center

Clean Ganga Fund

Union Cabinet has now approved establishment of Clean
Ganga Fund for its Namami Gange programme.
Activities to be funded:
Control of non-point pollution from agricultural runoff, human
defecation, cattle wallowing, etc.
Setting up of waste treatment and disposal plants along the
river around the cities.
Conservation of the biotic diversity of the river.
Community based activities to reduce polluting human
interface with the river.
Development of public amenities including activities such as
Ghat redevelopment.
Research and Development projects and innovative projects
for new technology and processes for cleaning the river.

Namami Gange Mission

Substantial amount of money spent in the conservation and

improvement of the Ganga.
Efforts have not yielded desired results because of the lack of
concerted efforts by all the stakeholders.
Ganga Rejuvenation is now recognised as multi-sectoral,
multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder challenge.
Union Budget 2014-15 has provided Rs. 2,037 crores.
In addition a sum of Rs. 100 crores has been allocated for
developments of Ghats and beautification of River Fronts at
Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad and Patna .
Namami Gange consolidates ongoing efforts and planning for
a concrete action plan for future.
The interventions at Ghats and River fronts will facilitate
better citizen connect and set the tone for river centric urban
planning process.

Namami Gange Mission

Key Ministries comprising of (a) WR, RD&GR, (b)

Environment, Forests & Climate Change, (c) Shipping,
(d) Tourism, (e) Urban Development, (f) Drinking
Water and Sanitation and Rural Development have
been working together since June, 2014 to arrive at
an action plan.
Group of Secretaries has
been constituted to
develop a draft action plan which submitted its initial
report on 21st July, 2014 and after taking into
account the feedback received from the Honble
Ministers, has submitted the final report on 28th
August, 2014.
Ganga River Basin Management Plan is being
prepared by the Consortium of 7 IITs, first version of
which is likely to be available shortly.

ACTION PLAN

Identified main Short term activities:

Rehabilitation and up-gradation of existing STPs along
Ganga
100% sewerage infrastructure in identified towns
alongside Ganga
In situ sewage treatment in open drains
Ghats developments in selected cities and towns
Industrial pollution abatement at Kanpur on priority
Capacity building of urban local bodies
Afforestation Conservation of Flora
Conservation of Aquatic life Dolphin, Turtles and
Ghariyals
Disposal of flowers and other puja material
GIS data and Spatial Analysis for Ganga basin
Study of communities depending on Ganga for their
livelihood
Establishing National Ganga Monitoring Centre
Special guidelines for sand mining in Ganga
Communication and Public Outreach Activities

ACTION PLAN
Medium
term
infrastructure
and
implementation of long term vision:

non-infrastructure

interventions

(i) Nirmal Dhara- ensuring sustainable municipal sewage management

Incentive for states to take up projects on Ganga Main-stem by providing an
additional share of central grants for sewerage infrastructure.
10 years mandatory O&M by the same service provider at par with NGRBA
programme and PPP, Mandatory reuse of treated water
Expanding coverage of sewerage infrastructure in 118 urban habitations on
banks of Ganga- by MoUD with estimated cost of Rs 51000 Crores
(ii) Nirmal Dhara- managing sewage from Rural Areas
Mo DWS scheme for all Ganga bank Gram Panchayts (1632) free from open
defecation by 2022, at a cost of Rs 1700 Crores as central share
(iii) Nirmal Dhara- managing Industrial discharge
Making ZLD mandatory
Rationalized water tariff to encourage reuse
Real time water quality monitoring
(iv) Aviral Dhara
Enforcing River Regulatory Zones on Ganga Banks
Rational agricultural practices, efficient irrigation methods
Restoration and conservation of wetlands
(v) Ensuring conservation of aquatic life and biodiversity
(vi) Promotion of Tourism and Shipping in a rational and sustainable manner

for

Thanks