Ganga Data Collector App | 23 Sep 2019

Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has launched a mobile application “Ganga Data Collector” under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) of Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.

  • The app will provide field researchers with a complete data entry solution to monitor the aquatic population in the river.
  • Ganga Prahari volunteers and staff of the forest department in 11 states of the Ganga Basin will use this application to collect data related to the quality of water, the presence of different species of fishes, amphibians and reptiles, crocodiles and turtles, dolphins, birds, water level and weather.
  • It will help to improve both data visualization and security.
  • The Ganga basin covers 11 states including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Delhi.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

  • National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is the implementation wing of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
  • It is a registered society, originally formed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
  • But now both NGRBA and NMCG have been allocated to the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
  • The main pillars of the programme include sewerage treatment infrastructure, river-front development, river-surface cleaning, bio-diversity preservation, afforestation, public awareness industrial effluent monitoring, and Ganga gram.

Ganga Guardians

  • Ganga Praharis are self-motivated and trained volunteers from among the local communities working for biodiversity conservation and cleanliness of the Ganga River.
  • They aim to
    • Creating awareness about the benefits of a clean and vibrant Ganga and create a sense of belongingness among people towards the Ganga River.
    • Linking local communities and their livelihoods with the overall efforts of various agencies working for a clean Ganga, and thereby, creating a convergence point at the grassroots level for such efforts.
    • Linking local people’s livelihood and well-being with a clean and vibrant Ganga.

Wildlife Institute of India

  • The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change
  • It was established in 1982.
  • It is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
  • It offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.

Source:IE