India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), an initiative aimed at mitigating pollution and ensuring the rejuvenation of the Ganga River, has made considerable progress over the past seven years. However, there are still significant hurdles to overcome in order to achieve the mission’s objectives. This article will examine the progress of sewage treatment under NMCG, the challenges faced by the mission, and its impacts.
The Progress of Sewage Treatment under NMCG
The NMCG has set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in five major states along the Ganga River: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Currently, these facilities can treat only around 20% of the projected sewage generated in these regions. The plans are, however, to increase this capacity to cover 33% of the estimated sewage by 2024 and further up it to 60% by 2026. As of July 2023, STPs with a total capacity of 2,665 MLD are operational, a significant improvement from previous years. These STPs and sewerage networks constitute about 80% of the overall project budget.
About the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
Established on 12th August 2011 as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the NMCG operates as the implementation arm of the National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA). It aims to reduce pollution and rejuvenate the Ganga River through comprehensive planning & management and maintaining a minimum ecological flow in the river to ensure water quality. The NMCG also oversees other initiatives like the Namami Gange Programme.
Challenges Faced by NMCG
Despite progress, obstacles remain. These include land acquisition issues, lack of local initiatives, inadequate funding, and problems with waste management. Mismanagement of municipal solid waste and a lack of proper waste treatment infrastructure in many towns and cities along the Ganga contribute to the pollution problem. Furthermore, many Indian urbanites live outside sewerage networks, complicating the task of waste disposal.
Impacts of the NMCG
The NMCG’s efforts have resulted in noticeable improvements in the river’s water quality, including an increase in the dolphin population and fish species that thrive only in clean water. The Central Pollution Control Board has noted varying levels of dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and faecal coliform along different stretches of the river. Consequently, the NMCG is developing a water quality index to communicate better about the river’s water quality.
Initiatives Related to Ganga
Several initiatives are related to cleansing the Ganga, including the Namami Gange Programme, the Ganga Action Plan, the National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA), the Clean Ganga Fund, and the Bhuvan-Ganga Web App. A ban on waste disposal has also been implemented.
About the Ganga River System
The Ganga’s headwaters, known as the ‘Bhagirathi,’ originate from the Gangotri Glacier and merge with the Alaknanda at Devprayag in Uttarakhand. At Haridwar, the Ganga flows from the mountains to the plains and is joined by major tributaries from the Himalayas such as the Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, and Kosi.
