National Mission for Clean Ganga

• 11 May 2022

For Prelims: Namami Gange Programme, District Ganga Committees, National Mission for Clean Ganga.

For Mains: Significance of Namami Gange Programme in the Rejuvenation of River Ganga, Conservation.

Why in News?

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has organised the 6^th Edition of the monthly ‘Webinar with Universities’ series on ‘Igniting Young Minds, Rejuvenating Rivers’.

• The theme for the webinar was ‘Waste Water Management.’

What is NMCG?

• About:
  • The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is implemented by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga also known as the National Ganga Council.
  • This mission was established on 12^th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act,1860 as a registered society.
• 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.

What are the Initiatives Related to Ganga?

• Namami Gange Programme: It is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
• 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 Ganga Action Plan phase-2.
• National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA): It was formed by the Government of India in the year 2009 under Section-3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
  • Ganga was declared as the ‘National River’ of India in 2008.
• Clean Ganga Fund: In 2014, it was formed for cleaning up of the Ganga, setting up of waste treatment plants, and conservation of biotic diversity of the river.
• Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures 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.

What is the Ganga River System?

• The headwaters of the Ganga called the ‘Bhagirathi’ are fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda at Devprayag in Uttarakhand.
• At Haridwar, Ganga emerges from the mountains to the plains.
• The Ganga is joined by many tributaries from the Himalayas, a few of them being major rivers such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi.

Way Forward

• Monetization of sludge and treated water is one of the focus areas of Namami Gange Programme under the banner of ‘Arth Ganga’, which means linking people with Ganga through a ‘Bridge of Economics’.
• Awareness generation and community-led efforts are the key in Ganga Clean. In addition to the cultural and spiritual significance of River Ganga, the focus should be on the economic benefits of the river as well.
• The social and behavioral change in the young generation that is a requisite for a programme like Namami Gange and that could be brought about by proper communication.
• A targeted dissemination of information must be done to bring about the desired change. There is a need to create a “generation with cleanliness conscious’ and everything else will automatically fall into place.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. Consider the following pairs: (2013)

    National Park         River flowing through the Park

1. Corbett National Park : Ganga
2. Kaziranga National Park : Manas
3. Silent Valley National Park : Kaveri

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) None

Ans: (d)

• Jim Corbett National Park: River Ramganga, a tributary of river Ganga is the primary source of water for the park. Tributaries of Ramganga are Khoh, Kolhu and Mandal rivers. Hence, pair 1 is not correctly matched.
• Kaziranga National Park: It is a park hosting around two-third of total world’s one-horned rhinoceros and is circumscribed by the Brahmaputra River. The Brahmaputra forms the northern and eastern boundaries of it, whereas the Mora Diphlu forms the southern boundary. Other notable rivers within the park are the Diphlu and Mora Dhansiri. Hence, pair 2 is not correctly matched.
• Silent Valley National Park: Located in Kerala, the park’s entire stretch drains from north to south by River Kuntipuzha. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Hence, pair 3 is not correctly matched.
• Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Source: PIB