Global River Cities Alliance: NMCG | 12 Dec 2023

For Prelims: The National Mission for Clean Ganga, River Cities Alliance (RCA), COP28, Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), Namami Gange, Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.

For Mains: The National Mission for Clean Ganga, Environmental pollution and degradation, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), has launched the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

  • During the event the NMCG also signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), representing 124 cities/towns situated along the banks of the Mississippi River, the United States.
  • The NMCG has signed the MoCP on behalf of the River Cities Alliance (RCA).

What is the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA)?

  • About:
    • The GRCA is an international coalition of cities and countries dedicated to the conservation, sustainable management, and protection of river systems worldwide.
    • The alliance encompasses a diverse array of countries and river cities, fostering partnerships among key nations like India, Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, and others.
    • GRCA's membership extends to cover 275+ river-cities across 11 countries, demonstrating a substantial global reach and influence.
  • Objective:
    • It will serve as a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and concerted efforts among various stakeholders, including governments, cities, financial institutions, and environmental organizations..

What is the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI)?

  • The MRCTI was created in 2012 to provide an influential voice for the Mississippi River, dramatically increasing demand for effective river protection, restoration, and management in Washington, DC.
  • It addresses matters of mutual concern, including river water quality and habitat restoration, flooding and floodplain issues, river-focused recreation, sustainable economies, and celebration of the River culture and history.

What is River Cities Alliance (RCA)?

  • About:
    • The RCA is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) & the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), with a vision to connect river cities and focus on sustainable river centric development.
    • The Alliance focuses on three broad themes- Networking, Capacity Building and Technical Support.
    • Beginning with 30 member cities in November 2021, the Alliance has expanded to 110 river cities across India and one international member city from Denmark.
  • Objective:
    • The RCA intends to facilitate knowledge exchange (online) for Indian cities to learn new practices and approaches for urban river management.
    • It will also be an opportunity for international cities to learn about experiences in Indian cities, which may be relevant to their contexts.

What is the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)?

  • About:
    • On 12th August 2011, the NMCG was listed as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
    • It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.
      • NGRBA was dissolved in 2016 and replaced by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga.
  • Objective:
    • The objective of the NMCG is to reduce pollution and ensure the rejuvenation of the Ganga River.
      • Namami Gange is one of the Coveted Programmes of NMCG to clean Ganga.
    • This can be achieved by promoting intersectoral coordination for comprehensive planning & management and maintaining minimum ecological flow in the river, with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable development.
  • Organization Structure:
    • The Act envisages a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to take measures for prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga as below:
      • National Ganga Council under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
      • Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under the 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
      • District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states.

What are the Other Initiatives for River Rejuvenation in India?

  • Ganga Action Plan: It was the first River Action Plan that was taken up by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage.
    • The National River Conservation Plan is an extension to the Ganga Action Plan. It aims at cleaning the Ganga River under the Ganga Action Plan phase 2.
  • National Water Mission (2010): It ensures integrated water resource management leading to water conservation, less wastage, and equitable distribution forming better policies.
  • Clean Ganga Fund: In 2014, it was formed to clean up the Ganga, set up waste treatment plants, and conserve of biotic diversity of the river.
  • Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures the involvement of the public in monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.
  • Ban on Waste Disposal: In 2017, the National Green Tribunal banned the disposal of any waste in the Ganga.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements: (2014)

  1. Animal Welfare Board of India is established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
  2. National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body.
  3. National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Mains

Q. Discuss the Namami Gange and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) programmes and causes of mixed results from the previous schemes. What quantum leaps can help preserve the river Ganga better than incremental inputs? (2015)