Sustainable Development through Knowledge and Innovation International Conference on Sustainable Clean Ganga Mission Iqbal Hasan, Sr. Tech. Director, NIC The way Ahead, 4th  Dec 2015 at Indian Habitat Center, New Delhi. 

Sustainable Development meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability: 3 Pillars Environmental Economic Social

Ganga Origination The River Ganga has been the cradle of Indian civilization, economy and social life. Ganga originates from the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, after traversing 2525 Kms,it falls into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges ranks as the fifth most polluted river of the world. Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin, Golden Mahseer.

Ganga Pollution Threats The amount of toxins, chemicals and other dangerous bacteria found in the river are now almost 3000 times over the limit suggested by the WHO More than 420 million people who rely on it for food, water, bathing and agriculture, The diagram depicts the various pollutants and its sources which pollute river Ganga.

Sustainability: Problems Depletion of finite resources fuels, soils, minerals and species Over use of renewable resources forests, fish, wildlife, fertility and public funds Pollution air, water, soil Inequity economic, political, social and gender Species loss - endangered species and spaces

How to win Sustainability?

Solution: Cyclical material use Safe reliable energy emulate natural cycles, 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle) Safe reliable energy conservation, renewable energy, substitution and interim measures Life based interests health, creativity, communication, appreciation, learning, intellectual and spiritual development

materials and energy

Obsolescent “frontier” civilization: HEAT ENERGY NON-RENEWABLE and RENEWABLE HIGH THROUGHPUT WASTE & TOXINS MATERIALS One-way flow of materials and energy

Sustainable civilization: Energy Efficiency Low-quality Heat Energy ENERGY LOW THROUGHPUT RENEWABLE CONSERVER SOCIETY Low-volume Nontoxic Waste Materials MATERIALS Waste Minimization Toxics control Cyclical flows of materials Appropriate energy usage

information and decision making

NON-PARTICIPATORY FRAGMENTED ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING

ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING ECONOMY ENV’T SOCIETY SOCIETY ECONOMY ‘ECO- SYSTEM HEALTH’ ENVIRONMENT TRADITIONAL DECISION MAKING ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING

ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING SOCIETY ECONOMY ‘ECO- SYSTEM HEALTH’ PARTICIPATORY INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT ECOSYSTEM-BASED DECISION MAKING

Fragmented decision-making private other interests public community groups federal / national ISSUE municipal provincial / state regional

Integrated decision-making private other interests public community groups ISSUE federal/ national municipal provincial/ state regional

SDKI Approach

SDKI – Vision and Mission “To achieve Sustainable Development through emancipation of knowledge and optimum adoption of suitable ICT driven Innovations, methods, technologies and tools pertaining to every socioeconomic sectors of growth for all-round development of the country and humanity.” Mission: To bring in prosperity in human life by leveraging the country’s economy to greater height by tapping our rich potential in education and skills, energy, earth sciences, environment, health, industries and Information Communication Technologies through knowledge and innovation based Sustainable Development etc.

SDKI for Clean Ganga To identify the stake holders in Ganga life Cycle Establish autonomous working groups, inter linking of various interest groups Link the Clean Ganga Mission with CSR and Clean India Mission Active mobilisation of youth and children in driving the mission Extensive use of Satellite, GSM, Communication and Information Technology tools To link Clean Ganga Mission with livelihood, removing the fear, psychosis

SDKI for Clean Ganga Sugar, Pulp and Paper, Chemical Industries are the major industrial sectors responsible for the water pollution (NMCG survey). SDKI will Use Digital platform, innovative ways, R&D for the reduction of discharge from sugar and other industries. Interact with religious persons/organisations as stakeholder, they are most effective in Indian setup who can promote the cause of Clean Ganga. The STPs are there for more than 20 years and are not sufficient. More rigorous monitoring is required, here SDKI can play an important role in being more innovative rather than procedural. An exclusive Nirmal Ganga portal will be created where all the stakeholder (Govts, Industry, R&D, Academia, Youth, farmers and common public) will meet on a single platform.