AVIRALATA & NIRMALATA OF RIVER GANGA

River Ganga is the basis of life and principle source of socio-economic, cultural, religious and environmental development of its highly productive and densely populated basin. During past a few decades, the continuous decrease in the flow of water has fragmented the river and imposed serious threat to river Ganga ecosystem besides its pollution. The Nirmalata (pollution free water) of Ganga water is dependent on its Aviralata (free flow of water) henceforth, River Ganga Conservation Programme (RGCP) should focus on the following:

1. HOLISTIC ECOLOGICAL APPROACH

• Human life on earth is governed by the Nature; henceforth,  River Ganga Conservation Programme can only be achieved through holistic ecological approach based on self regulatory mechanism and regeneration abilities to maintain the homeostasis in Ganga ecosystem.
• Numerous micro and macro organisms associated directly or indirectly with Ganga River, manage the river ecosystem through food chain, nutrients cycling, decomposition of pollutants and bio-geo-chemical cycles.
• Green belt of resilient and ecologically adaptable plant species on both banks of river will solve the non point pollution problem of the Ganga River. Green belt will act as kidney in filtering the pollutants and also check the soil erosion.

2. WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

• Point pollution sources like city sewage and toxic industrial effluents should be treated in specific treatment plants before release into river. Suitability and economic viability of the new Sewage Treatment Plants be ensured before their establishment.
• For economic saving, old and existing STPs be upgraded/modified in light of their past drawbacks and recent advances in Wastewater Treatment Technologies.
• Land use patterns, fertility level of land and upstream/downstream locations for new STPs be examined so that no STP be constructed on highly fertile lands.
• Probabilities of Community Treatment Plants and recycling of the wastewater be explored for economically feasible solutions.
• Accurate quantity and quality of waste water (e.g. sewage, industrial effluents and laboratory chemicals etc.) generated at Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Hardwar etc. be assessed for long term environmental planning.
• Small scale & cottage industries (including motor workshops & garbage disposal) located in vicinity of the cities be identified and suitable treatment plants be suggested.
•  Higher dilution zones of the river Ganga be examined and preferred as disposal sites.

3. EVALUATION OF GAP – I AND GAP – II SHORT COMINGS
       Following short comings of GAP – I and GAP – II be examined carefully:

• Accumulation of persistent toxic chemicals in crop plants, vegetables and fruits etc. due to irrigation with treated water released from existing STPs.
• Mostly STPs were constructed on highly fertile croplands ignoring the basic principles of eco- resource management.
• STPs were not designed for long term sustainability.
• Lack of individual responsibility and accountability for failure of various projects.
• Ignorance of temporal and spatial variability during data generation.
• Lack of local technical expert monitoring committees at grass root level.

4. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Proper quantification and quality examination of solid wastes generated in each zone of the city be assessed for their recycling and other utilizations.
• Electric crematorium on respective cremation grounds, incineration plants for cattle and separate washing ghats at downstream be established.

5. LAND USE POLICY FOR RIVER BANK

• Unauthorized constructions and encroachment near the banks and its catchment areas be stopped immediately to maintain the natural flow.

6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS

• Local Technical Expert Committees with one or more expert member(s) of the NGRBA/SGRCA be formed to monitor and assess the working of ongoing projects.
• All new projects be examined by a team of multidisciplinary experts before its implementation. 

7. RAIN WATER HARVESTING, GROUND WATER RECHARGING AND  

    IRRIGATIONAL PRACTICES

•  Rain Water Harvesting, its storage, multiple uses at micro community level and Ground Water Recharging practices be encouraged to maintain the ground water status and save the Ganga water.
• Development and adoption of micro level irrigational techniques be adopted to save the huge loss of Ganga water through flood irrigation practices.

8. GANGA WATER USERS POLICY

• Maintenance of optimum ecological flow in the river Ganga and its tributaries.
• Non-consumptive activities (e.g. fishery, aquaculture, navigation etc.) of Ganga water be encouraged.
• Mechanism for restoration of Ganga ecosystem.
• Policy for the check and balance of natural resources.
•  Policy for involvement of Ganga users in various projects.
• Mass awareness programs through documentaries, Nukkad natak, literature and public lectures be organized at school/college level.

9. ESTABLISHMENT OF GANGA RESEARCH INSTITUTE & GANGA  

     KNOWLEDGE CENTRE AT VARANASI

• In the second meeting of NGRBA held on 1st November 2010  under chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister it was resolved that “A dedicated institution for Ganga related R&D activities should be setup at Varanasi as a part of NGRBA”. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a dedicated Ganga Research Institute at Varanasi.

• The Ganga Knowledge Centre (GKC) established in New Delhi (till date non-functional) should be shifted to Varanasi, which is the centrally located place in the Ganga Basin.

10. DIRECT CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVT. OVER IMPLEMENTATION        

      OF ALL GANGA PROJECTS

The Ganga was declared National River in 2008, but it is still under the control of five states i.e. Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Each state has its own regulations for the consumption and management of the river water and implementation of the Ganga related projects. Looking to the past failures of the projects implemented by the state governments, it is necessary to have direct control of the central government over implementation of all Ganga projects.