River of Life

Context: The holistic approach adopted under the ‘Namami Gange’ project brings together public policy, technology intervention, and community participation to restore the Ganga’s purity and biodiversity.

Causes for Ganga pollution: An increase in population, coupled with unregulated industrialization and unsustainable agricultural practices, has led to a significant rise in pollutants in the river.

• As a result, Ganga, which once sustained various life forms, now struggles to support its rich biodiversity. Depleting numbers of the Gangetic dolphins is a glaring example.

‘Sangam Approach’: The ‘Namami Gange’ project’s holistic approach brings together public policy, technology intervention, and community participation to rejuvenate River Ganga.

• Public policy: In 2016, the government authorized the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to exercise powers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 
  • Issued notices/directions to authorities wherever required, after regularly conducting the surprise checks on sewage treatment plants (STPs).
  • Issued directives on regulating the mining activities on river banks, prohibiting encroachment, and regulating activities like the immersion of idols.
• Technology intervention:
  • NMCG adopted cutting-edge technologies like satellite imagery, remote sensing, and geospatial solutions, which facilitated real-time monitoring of pollutants in Ganga and its tributaries. 
  • Scientific forecast models were deployed for designing new sewage treatment infrastructure.
• Easing private partnerships: Adopted hybrid annuity model for project implementation, thereby entrusting long-term responsibility for operations and maintenance on the project executors.
• Community participation: Through them, the government seeks to transform “jal chetna” into “jan chetna” and turn it into a “jal aandolan”.
  • Collaboration with premier institutes: NMCG is actively working together with premier institutes like the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Kolkata, and the Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad, to restore the river’s biodiversity.
  • Association with the Ministry of Agriculture: to promote organic farming in villages of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. 
  • A long-term Intensive and Scientific Afforestation Plan is under implementation in the river along with the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.