1) The Ganga River is over 2,500 km long and flows through several important cities in India. However, it is now one of the most polluted rivers in the world due to increased industrial and domestic waste. 2) Pollution is causing harm to aquatic life and increasing cancer rates in nearby populations. Untreated sewage and industrial waste are the primary causes of pollution. 3) The Indian government has undertaken various initiatives like the Ganga Action Plan and National Ganga River Basin Authority to clean the river, but more work is still needed to achieve the goal of stopping untreated waste by 2020.

1. Mission Clean Ganga
By:
Ajinkya Gupta

2. The Holy Ganga
• Longest flowing river of India
• 2525 km length
• Source : Gangotri, Uttarkashi
district, Uttarakhand
• Basin area : 10,80,000 km²
• Important
Cities: Varanasi, Haridwar, Kolkata, Allahabad,
Patna, Kanpur,Ghazipur

4. Impact of the deconsecration and
pollution
• One of top 5 most polluted river
• More polluted than past
• Plight of Ganges River Dolphin
• Disapperance of River Otters and Mahasir
• Exceeding limit of fecal coliform
• Rise in cases of gall bladder cancer(2nd in
world) and prostate cancer(highest in India)

5. Related impact
• Alaknanda Power Project (Uttarakhand)
submerging “Dhari Devi” temple.
• Gangasagar island (West
Bengal), mangroves, submerged n destroyed

6. Causes of the destruction
• Anthropogenic pressure
 Industries over Ganga preservation
• Non functioning of Sewage Treatment Plant(STP)
 2.9 billion litres untreated sewage released daily
• 68 highly polluting industries on the banks
 75% waste from industries
 Only 1 Billion Litres per Day(BLD) installation instead of 2.9
BLD
• 402 listed tanneries only in Kanpur
 22 drains release tanneries toxic waste
 Chromium level 100 times higher than permissible limit

9. Causes contd…
• Hydro Power Project(HPP) dams acts as speed
breakers.
300 dams being built on Alaknanda, Bhagirathi
and Mandakini rivers
Disturb self cleansing property
Low efficiency of HPP
Submergence of 1200 hectares of forests
• Illegal sand mining
Reduction in water level at haridwar

10. Causes contd…
• Half cremated bodies being dumped in the river
 Hindu belief of “Moksha” to “Jiva”
• Banks used as defecation ground
 Lack of sanitary facilities
• Dhobi ghats being established at the banks of
Ganga

13. Role of GOI
• Over Rs.9000 crores spent in last 20 years
Ganga Action Plan (GAP) – I
433 crores spent in 25 towns
GAP – II
615 crores sanctioned for 59 towns
270 crores spent since 2007

14. Schematic of GAP

15. NGRBA
• National Ganga River Basin Authority
 Under MoEF
 Constituted in 2009 by centre under section 3
(3) of Environment Protection Act,1986
 Declared Ganga as “National River”
 Chaired by PM
 Since 2010 budget, the allocation doubled to Rs.500 crores
• Financing, planning, implementing, monitoring and
coordinating authority for Ganga
• World Bank assistance(technical and monetary) of $1bn for
abetment of pollution of Ganga
• “Mission Clean Ganga 2020” under NGRBA

16. Mission Clean Ganga 2020
• Objective: “by year 2020, no untreated
municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow
into Ganga”
• Investment to be shared between Centre and
State in ratio of 70:30
• Intercept sewerage and treatment

17. Recent Development by GOI
• 4 new STPs underway at Allahabad
Presently only 2 STPs (in Naini & Salori) which
has capacity of only 109 against 232 MLD
• Low budget and efficient solution by IESD
(Institute of Environment and Sustainable
Development), BHU
Isolated an enzyme from rice seedlings which
removes toxic pollutants from rivers

18. Personal Suggestions
• 100 km stretch of Gaumukh – Uttarkashi declared as eco-sensitive
zone
• Moratorium on dam building till study of cumulative impact on
environment is done
• Zero tolerance policy
• Minimum flow fixed
• Follow examples of Thames (London) and Cheonggyecheon (South
Korea)
• Not to use electrical dependent pumps in STP, instead use gravity
based
• Electric /improved wood crematoria

19. Thank You !!!
• References:
Gangapedia.com
Pib.nic.in
Wikipedia.com
Timesofindia.com
Ndtv.com
Theweek.com
nationalgeographic.com
google.com/images