1. Ganga Rejuvenation Programme of Ministry of WR, RD and GR
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

2. 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.

3. 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 crores
DATE OF REVISED APPROVAL : August 1994
REVISED SANCTIONED COST : Rs crores expenditure 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

4. 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 crore.
Implementation of the plan commenced w.e.f
The funding pattern changed to 70:30 between center and state subsequently.

5. 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.

6. 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 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.
     

7. 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 Hon’ble 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.

8. 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
Ghat’s 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

9. ACTION PLAN
Medium term infrastructure and non-infrastructure interventions for implementation of long term vision: (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 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

10. Thanks