Successful completion of PM's dream project 'Namami Ganga' needs extensive researches and ecological database

1. Ganga has exclusive antibacterial & medicinal properties due to presence of specific minerals, bacteriophages, medicinal plant extracts, higher concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) and traces of radioactive materials etc. However, it is not known to us that what are the sources of these specific components and their percentage for making the Ganga water unique and special ?
2. During past a few decades, the continuous decrease in the flow of Ganga water has fragmented the river, reduced its dilution & self purifying capacity and imposed serious threat to its ecosystem. But, what are the factors and up to what extent responsible for reduced water flow in Ganga is not known ?
3. Discharge of city sewage, industrial effluents and solid waste disposal have polluted the Ganga water. But, accurate quantity and quality of pollutants released from different areas of the cities located along the bank of river Ganga are still unexplored ?
4. Continuous decrease in water depth due to high rate of siltation and encroachment of Ganga land from both the bank sides have reduced the water flow path (Bhagirath path) leading reduced water carrying capacity of Ganga. However, it is not known till date that, what is the rate of siltation, percentage of encroachment and reduction in the water carrying capacity of the Ganga ?
5. Gangajal travels through Bhagirath path of 2525 km before meeting the sea at Gangasagar, a sacred and religious place of the Hindus. But, in recent years it is not known that what is the distance travelled by original Ganga water released from Gomukh ?