- green-spots
- waste
- India
- Ganges River rejuvenation, India
Problems
The Ganga in India is the third largest river in the world. However, The sacred river is considered one of the most polluted water bodies worldwide, and several major cities, including Kanpur, surround it. Renowned as an export powerhouse for leather products, the tannery sector in Kanpur has lately been in the limelight as the primary source of industrial pollution in Ganga. The various processes of tanning, such as washing, liming, fleshing, splitting, and finishing, involve the high use of multiple chemicals, thus posing formidable environmental risks. It also hurts the socio-economic well-being of the entire ecosystem.
Solutions
Namami Gange, the Ganges River Rejuvenation Project
Author: Green Network
Launched in 2014, the Namami Gange is a flagship government-led program of an integrated conservation mission. After almost a decade, the Indian government has invested up to $4.25 billion in this program. Its primary objectives are to curb pollution, promote sustainable farming, and conserve and rejuvenate the Ganges River. The implementation of Namami Gange has been divided into Entry-Level (immediate & visible impact), Medium-Term (a five-year time frame), and Long-Term (a ten-year time frame). The program operates on eight main pillars: Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure – sewage management projects across the states River-Front Development – construction, modernization, and renovation of ghats (mountain passes). River-Surface Cleaning – collection and disposal of floating solid waste from the river and the ghats. Biodiversity – reviving endemic and endangered biodiversity such as river dolphins, softshell turtles, otters, and the hilsa shad fish. Afforestation – forestry interventions to enhance the productivity and diversity of the forests by adopting a multi-pronged approach throughout the pre-defined Ganga riverscape. Public Awareness – creating events, workshops, conferences, rallies, campaigns, exhibitions, shram daan (voluntary labor), and other resource materials. Industrial Effluent Monitoring – regulation and enforcement of stipulated environmental norms through regular and surprise inspections of Grossly Polluting Industries. Ganga Gram – construction of toilets and development of rural sanitation programs for 1,674 Gram Panchayats (village governing bodies) along the bank of the Ganges River. Achievements and More Rejuvenating the health of river ecosystems requires a science-based multidisciplinary approach and strong collaborations across communities, sectors, and stakeholders. So far, the Namami Gange has involved 230 organizations and restored about 1,500 km of the Ganges River and 30,000 hectares of the surrounding forests. In 2030, the program hopes to have restored 134,000 hectares of forests. The effort and other flagship initiatives were selected under the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration banner, a global movement coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It is designed to prevent and reverse the degradation of natural spaces across the planet.
Source: https://greennetwork.asia/news/namami-gange-the-ganges-river-rejuvenation-project/
Gallery
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Timelines
2014
This program was established as a conservation mission with a budget of Rs. 20,000 crore. Namami Gange aims to reduce the Ganga River's pollution along with the conservation and rejuvenation of the river banks. The Indian government unveiled an action plan that included more than US$4 billion in investments to clean up the Ganga. Much of the funding goes into preventing untreated sewage and industrial effluent from pouring into the river. New treatment plants are to handle 5 billion liters of wastewater every day.
2022
The scope and early successes of the initiative, called Namami Ganga, have led to its selection as a World Restoration Flagship. Awarded under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the accolade recognizes ambitious efforts to revive the natural world, laboring under a triple climate change crisis, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
2023
A total of 457 projects (including sewerage infrastructure projects) have been taken up at an estimated cost of ₹ 38,438.05 crore, of which 280 projects have been completed and made operational. Most of the projects pertain to creating sewage infrastructure as untreated domestic/industrial wastewater is the main source of pollution in the river. 198 sewerage infrastructure projects have been taken up with a cost of ₹ 31,575.84 crore for the creation & rehabilitation of 6,208.12 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity. Out of these, 111 sewerage projects have been completed, resulting in the creation and rehabilitation of 2,844.00 MLD of sewage treatment capacity.
2024
India's Namami Gange program saw progress in Ganga River rejuvenation with significant sewage treatment capacity added, improved water quality (Good to Moderate) noted in biomonitoring, and ongoing biodiversity efforts like dolphin conservation. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) completed 25 projects, adding significant sewage treatment capacity (750 MLD in 2024 alone) and sanctioning new ones, bringing the total projects to over 488. Biomonitoring showed Biological Water Quality (BWQ) mostly in the 'Good' to 'Moderate' range, indicating improvements in overall health Science-based programs for aquatic species (dolphins, otters, turtles) showed increased sightings, and the Ganga Task Force continued patrolling and plantation drives. Events like Ganga Utsav 2024 engaged large audiences, fostering public participation in river conservation. Continued efforts in building Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and creating sewer networks to tackle untreated sewage. Long-term vision to restore viable populations of endemic species. Forestry interventions to enhance forests in headwater areas. The program is recognized globally (a UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration initiative) for its efforts, with visible water quality improvements and increased biodiversity, though continuous monitoring and addressing non-point pollution sources remain crucial for long-term success.
