The Namami Gange Programme, a prominent initiative of the Union Government, was launched in June 2014 with a focus on conserving and rejuvenating the National River Ganga. The Ministry of Jal Shakti implemented this programme via the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Aimed at pollution abatement and river conservation, it has now introduced a new component for enhanced people-river interaction – the ‘Digital Dashboard for District Ganga Committees (DGCs) Performance Monitoring System’ (GDPMS).
Role of District Ganga Committees
The DGCs were formed in districts along the Ganga basin to encourage public participation in managing and reducing pollution in the Ganga River and its tributaries. Their primary responsibility is to ensure appropriate use of assets created under the Namami Gange Programme, monitor drains/sewage polluting the Ganga and its tributaries, and strengthen people’s relationship with the rejuvenation of the Ganga.
Namami Gange: An Integrated Conservation Mission
Namami Gange is recognized as a ‘Flagship Programme’ of the Union Government. It is executed through the coordination of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its state-level organizations called State Program Management Groups (SPMGs). The NMCG, an arm of the National Ganga Council established in 2016, functions with funds of Rs. 20,000-crore from the central government. So far, nearly 288 projects have been initiated under this mission focusing on Sewage Treatment Infrastructure, River-Front Development, River-Surface Cleaning, Biodiversity, Afforestation, Public Awareness and Industrial Effluent Monitoring, collectively known as Ganga Gram.
Other Initiatives in Line with Namami Gange
Several other initiatives have been taken up to support the main objective of Namami Gange. The first of these is the Ganga Action Plan, introduced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, which aimed to enhance water quality. The National River Conservation Plan, a continuation of the Ganga Action Plan, is another crucial initiative.
Furthermore, the Government established the National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA) in 2009, declaring Ganga as the ‘National River’ of India. To complement the cleanup efforts, the Clean Ganga Fund was initiated in 2014, focusing on waste treatment plants and conservation of the river’s biodiversity. With technological advancements, the Bhuvan-Ganga Web App was developed for public involvement in monitoring river pollution. In 2017, the National Green Tribunal announced a complete ban on waste disposal in the Ganga.
Understanding the Ganga River System
The Ganga River system originates from the headwaters called ‘Bhagirathi’, fed by the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand and joined by the Alaknanda at Devprayag. The Ganga, after Haridwar, moves from the mountains to the plains, where it is joined by several tributaries such as the Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi.
National Ganga River Basin Authority: A Retrospective
In the 2016 UPSC Civil Services Examination, a question regarding the key features of the ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’ was asked. It was launched in 2009 by the Central Government under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to plan, finance, monitor and coordinate activities related to the Ganga River. Contrary to the options given, the Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Authority, and its members include Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of states through which Ganga flows.