GANGA action plan

A Project on Environmental Science focused on wastewater and sewage treatment for a clean River Ganga in future. -By Jaykumar,Jash and Dhruvesh.

Importance of Ganga
The most sacred river to Hindus. The world's oldest continuously inhabited places along its banks.

Ranked among the five most polluted rivers of the world.

GANGA ACTION PLAN

CAUSES
Human Waste
Bathing Laundry Public defecation

Industrial Waste
Dumping of untreated waste About 12% of the total volume of effluent Toxic and nonbiodegradable. A cause for major concern

Religious events
Over 70 million people bathe in the Ganges Ritualistic reasons Dropping the ashes of cremated bodies

GANGA ACTION PLAN

Ganga Action Plan

An ambitious plan to clean the River Ganga. Launched in 5 major cities along the river which included Kanpur, Haridwar, Varanasi and Allahabad. A program launched by Rajiv Gandhi in April 1986.

GANGA ACTION PLAN

Approach to GAP
Pollution due to discharge of sewage into the river from point as well as non-point sources. It was renamed as The National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in the year 1995. Broad-based to tackle pollution levels. Improving the water quality to the bathing quality standards.

GANGA ACTION PLAN

GAP I
The total municipal sewage generated in the identified 25 towns was of the order of 1340 million litres per day (mld). Due to resource crunch, works corresponding to 873 mld only (65%) were taken up under the first phase of GAP.

GANGA ACTION PLAN

GAP II
GAP II was approved in April, 1993. Remaining sewage was to be taken up under the 2nd phase Treatment of the targeted municipal sewage of 873 mld. Works on river Ganga with 3 other rivers Yamuna, Damodar and Gomti. Mahananda was included in the year 2005-06. At present, NRCP covers 35 stretches of polluted rivers in 164 towns spread in 20 States.
GANGA ACTION PLAN

SCHEMES
The abatement of pollution from such non-point sources. Provide a clean and hygienic access to the river. Recovery of resources like biogas for power generation and sludge as biofertiliser. Monitoring and controlling grossly polluting industries.

Change in Water Quality

A considerable sum of money has been spent. Though the impact of GAP and NRCP has been positiveIT HAS BEEN LESS THAN DESIRED!

GANGA ACTION PLAN

Current Status

Improvement in river water quality over pre-GAP period in terms of indicators such as BOD and DO. The project is 13 years behind schedule. all the thousands of crores that have been spent on the cleaning the river have literally gone down the drain.

GANGA ACTION PLAN

FAILURE
Tanneries regularly contaminate the Ganga with chrome and yet, strangely chrome treatment plants set up by the Government lie unused..! Despite spending Rs 20,000 crore to clean the Ganga, the river remains polluted.

Reasons for failure

Inappropriate Environmental Planning. Establishment of non specific Sewage Treatment Plants on highly productive crop lands. Insignificant cooperation between Central, State and Local Government bodies. Improper mass awareness and involvement of Ganga users in different projects. Least political dedication and vision to save the Ganga.

What we can do?

Is it due to poor utilisation of allocated funds, inadequate maintenance of created assets, insufficient funds or improper planning?? strengthen technical and administrative monitoring

Thank You
GANGA ACTION PLAN