National Mission for Clean Ganga

Why is in news? Centre approves projects worth around Rs 2,700 for developing sewerage infrastructure in Ganga basin

Out of these projects, 12 pertain to develop the sewerage infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Along with this, afforestation programmes for the year 2022-23 for Uttarakhand and Bihar were also approved at an estimated cost of 42.80 crore rupees.

The aim of the project is to create an enabling environment for climate resilient and sustainable ecosystem management with community participatory approach.

The approvals were given during the 6th meeting of the Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

Another project titled ‘Scientific exploration of floral diversity’ near the Ganga river banks for ethnobotanical purposes along with their conservation was also approved in the meeting for all the five states.

The project will be implemented in collaboration with Patanjali Research Institute (PRI) and Patanjali Organic Research Institute (PORI), Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

National Mission for Clean Ganga:

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

It acted as implementation arm of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986.

NGRBA has since been dissolved in 2016, consequent to constitution of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council) under EPA 1986 (Amendment) Order in 2019.

The Act envisages five tier structure at national, state and district level to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga as below;

National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under chairmanship of Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation).

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

State Ganga Committees and

District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states.

NMCG has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee. Both of them are headed by Director General, NMCG.

Objectives:

The mission incorporates rehabilitating and boosting the existing STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) and instant short-term steps to curb pollution at exit points on the riverfront in order to check the inflow of sewage.

To maintain the continuity of the water flow without changing the natural season variations.

To restore and maintain the surface flow and groundwater.

To regenerate and maintain the natural vegetation of the area.

To conserve and regenerate the aquatic biodiversity as well as the riparian biodiversity of the river Ganga basin.

To allow participation of the public in the process of protection, rejuvenation and management of the river.

NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME:

The Namami Gange Programme is a flagship initiative of the Union Government and was implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga. It was inaugurated in 2014, with a budget of Rs. 20,000 (US$ 2.7 billion) to achieve two objectives, i.e., conservation and rejuvenation of Ganga.