Saving the Ganges River Is Saving Humanity: The Huffington Post

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By Cameron Conaway

Modi is the first Prime Minister of India who has shown his dedication for mother Ganga and created a separate ministry for its rejuvenation said Prof. B.D. Tripathi,  who is considered a pioneer in the field of Ganges River pollution research, and working on the cause for nearly 45 years.

 'I hope Modi ji will succeed in his efforts because over 450 million people rely on the Ganga. Saving the Ganga is the saving of humanity.' Professor B.D. Tripathi of Banaras Hindu University is one person filled with such hope. 

"नमामि गंगे" परियोजना की सफलता हेतु गंगा बेसिन के सभी सांसद अपने संसदीय क्षेत्र में "गंगा परिक्षेत्र" को गोद लें: प्रो. बी डी त्रिपाठी

भारत में गांवों के सर्वांगीण विकास हेतु प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी द्वारा सांसदों के एक-एक गाँव को गोद लेने की "आदर्श ग्राम योजना"  अत्यंत प्रसंशनीय है. इसी तर्ज पर "नमामि गंगे" की महत्वाकांक्षी योजना की सफलता हेतु गंगा क्षेत्र के सभी सांसदों द्वारा अपने-अपने संसदीय क्षेत्र में "गंगा परिक्षेत्र" को गोद लिया जाना चाहिये. सांसदों द्वारा अपने-अपने क्षेत्र में "गंगा परिक्षेत्र" को गोद लेकर नमामि गंगे योजना के अंतर्गत चलाई जाने वाली सभी परियोजनाओं का संचालन उनकी देख-रेख सुनिश्चित किया जाये. ऐसा होने पर ही गंगा से जुड़ी सभी परियोजनाओं की आशातीत सफलता की उम्मीद की जा सकती है. गंगा संरक्षण से जुड़े अपने पिछले 40 वर्षों के अनुभव पर हमारा मानना है कि प्रधानमंत्री द्वारा लिया गया यह निर्णय सभी परियोजनाओं के क्रियान्वयन हेतु केंद्र एवं राज्य सरकारों के बीच समन्वयन का भी कार्य करेगा.  

River Ganga Basin Management Plan Prepared by IIT Consortium

Specific Comments

(Communicated to Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and Chairman NGRBA, Nov. 9th 2014)

Professor B.D.Tripathi

·       The IIT Consortium report prepared at the cost of Rs.16 crores, does not give emphasis to holistic ecological approach based on self regulatory mechanism and regeneration abilities to maintain the homeostasis in Ganga ecosystem. Total report is based on secondary data available on the Internet (out of 38 references cited in the report, 26 are from the internet), hence superficial. It is obvious that most of the data available on the internet are neither scientific nor authentic.

·       The river Ganga forms three distinct major ecosystems i.e. Fragile Himalayan ecosystem (Gomukh to Haridwar), Plain agro-urban ecosystem (Haridwar to Patna) and Delta ecosystem (West Bengal-Sunderban). Each ecosystem has its own exclusive characteristics and specific environmental problems. However, the Consortium report has not given any empahsis on the specific issues of these three distinct ecosystems.

·       Even after the declaration of river Ganga as the National River in the year 2008, still it is under the control of five different political states i.e. Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Each state has their own regulations for consumption and management of the river water and implementation of the Ganga related projects. Looking to the past failures of the Ganga related projects, implemented by different state governments, it is necessary to have direct control of the central government over implementation of all Ganga projects to speed up the management. However, IIT consortium report has bypassed this important issue.

·       The IIT Consortium has itself not made any assessment of the flow and depth of water in the Ganga required for ecological, geomorphological, socio-cultural, religious rituals and bathing activities on the specific festivals such as "Kumbh Mela" etc.

·       Highly significant issues of the mother Ganga such as socio-economic, religious and cultural aspects have been totally ignored in the report.

·       Recommendation of minimum e-flow for natural river ecosystem is not ecologically sound and sustainable. Because if there is no buffer space, depletion in the flow of water than the minimum e-flow shall certainly be lethal to the river biota.

·       Recommendation of an e-flow of  0.5 metre depth of water in the Ganga on the basis of the requirement of "Mahseer" in place of the Ganga Dolphin (the National Aquatic Animal), which requires a minimum of 3.0-4.0 metre depth of water, indicates total lack of  knowledge pertaining to the sustainability of river Ecosystem.

·       The IIT consortium has not suggested any methodology to increase the flow of water in the river Ganga.

·       The IIT consortium has not provided any "Cost Benefit Analysis" or "Economic Assessment" for the proposal submitted to the NGRBA.

·       The IIT consortium has not suggested any methodology to conserve the microbial population of river Ganga responsible for managing the river ecosystem through the food chain, nutrients cycling, decomposition of pollutants and bio-geo-chemical cycles.

·       Recommendation of sewage treatment using "Design Built Finance Operate Model" would result in many issues that have already been manifested in the privatization of the water sector in India. So that, it may be replaced with some other model based on "Public Financing and Public-Community Control" operation.

·       Use of explosives and uncontrolled blasting in the fragile Himalayan terrain for infrastructure development works introduces instability in the rocks and is detrimental to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. These issues have not been addressed properly in the report.

·       High wind speed due to low pressure zone may be the alternative source for power generation in Uttarakhand.  The report does not include alternative suggestions such as wind mills and harvesting of solar energy for the production of electricity in Uttarakhand.

·       Alternative arrangements for the big hydro power plants and dams constructed on the main head streams i.e. Bhagirathi, Alaknanda and Mandakini in Uttarakhand region have not been suggested in the report.

·       Significance of major financial sources like pilgrimage and eco-tourism in Uttarakhand region has not been emphasized properly in the report.

·       The report states that "a potential method for ensuring river connectivity through dams/barrages has been suggested" but no innovative suggestion has been provided to check the violation of longitudinal connectivity.

·       Navigation Project details as suggested by the present Govt. has not been incorporated in the report.

Heavy metals in Ganga contaminate food chain: Times of India (8th November 2014)

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Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi might be startled to know that despite his clarion call to restore the pristine glory of the Ganga, the river in Kashi is not only polluted with municipal wastewater but also with toxic heavy metals that have started contaminating the food chain. The PM is arriving here on a two-day visit on Friday.

Banaras Hindu University's environment scientists have detected presence of toxic heavy metals in Ganga's water and deposition in river sediments. Besides, metal bio-accumulation has been found in fish too. In fact, the study indicates that highest accumulation of metals was found in fish muscle followed by gills. The least accumulation was found in liver. This poses a grave threat as fish muscle is the principal source of metal exposure to human as Mangur (the fish used in the study) is an integral part of non-vegetarian diet of population living in the Ganga basin.

Varsity's environment scientist and expert member of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) Prof BD Tripathi said, "No guidelines have been provided regarding the concentration of heavy metals in the river sediments in India. Such a guideline is urgently required." Incidentally, Prof Tripathi undertook a study to assess concentration of heavy metals in Ganga's water and river sediments.

Prof Tripathi said that the study found the river water laced with toxic heavy metals, including Manganese, Iron, Nickel, Copper, Zink, Cadmium, Lead, Titanium and Vanadium. For the study, samples of river water and sediments were collected from 15 sampling points located near the Samne Ghat, Ravidash Ghat, Assi Ghat, Ganga Mahal Ghat, Chetsingh Ghat, Harishchandra Ghat, Shivala Ghat, RP Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Bhosle Ghat, Panchaganga Ghat, Teliyanala Ghat, Rajghat I, Rajghat II, and Ganga-Varuna confluence,

"Though the concentration of these metals, except lead, was found to be within the permissible limit, the process of biological magnification could increase the concentration of these chemicals manifold due to their persistent nature," he said adding that deposition of these metals was harmful to the health of the river and the humans.

He pointed the sewer systems of Varanasi as the major source of discharging toxic industrial waste in Ganga. "Concentration of these metals is also found in river sediments," he claimed and added that anthropogenic factors (discharge from agriculture, domestic and industrial sectors) were the prime cause of river pollution. Industrial effluents directly get mixed into city sewage and were ultimately discharged into the river due to unavailability of metal removing technologies, he added.

Suggestions to solve the problem of mother Ganga

Congratulations to Shri Narendra Modi ji for holding the chair of Hon'ble Prime Minister of India and creating separate ministerial arrangement to solve the problem of mother Ganga. However, before execution of any new program on Ganga following may be important to keep in the mind.
Continuous decrease in the flow of water during past a few years has induced fragmentation of the National River Ganga and it has imposed a serious problem to the nation and threatened the lives of 450 million people
Decrease in the velocity and quantity of Ganga water has adversely affected its dilution factor rather self purifying capacity. Hence, without any further addition in the quantity of pollutants, the intensity of Ganga water pollution has been increased
Decrease in the flow of Ganga water is the probable reason by which all efforts made by the government during past a few decades to control the pollution of river Ganga has not been visualized
Mother Ganga is suffering with the “triple R” problem i.e. Reduced ecological flow, Reduced water carrying capacity and Reduced quality i.e. Pollution of water
The problem of mother Ganga is a multi-ecosystem problem. Henceforth, only holistic approach can save the Ganga.
Aforsaid problems may be solved as:
Ganga has been declared as the National river in 2008; however, till date it is under the control of 5 states i.e. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Each state has its own regulations for the consumption and management of the river water. Henceforth, central government is not able to implement required projects for the conservation.


1.  A new regulation act is required to put the Ganga under the control of Central government.

2.  Present technologies used for the generation of hydropower in Uttarakhand is distructive at the ecosystem level and non eco-friendly.
Uttarakhand is under low pressure zone having high wind velocity. Henceforth,Wind power mills may be an option for the power generation.


3. Construction of big dams on main head streams of the Ganga is reducing the flow of Ganga water and changing its natural quality. Henceforth, a number of small dams may be constructed on the side streams and used for hydropower generation. Construction of small dams on side streams shall be eco-friendly.


4. Extraction and diversion of huge quantity of Ganga water should be minimized with the instructions to the consumers to become self sustainable. So that, in future complete ban be created on the huge extraction of water


5. Encroachment of the Ganga land on its both sides has reduced the water carrying capacity of river Ganga henceforth, encroachment of land on both the bank side be banned immediately.


6. Existing sewage treatment plants are not appropriate henceforth, all should be renovated as per requirement.


7. Imported technologies for the pollution control or wastewater treatment must be tested under Indian condition.


8. Consumers of the Ganga water be associated with different projects of the Ganga.


9. Appropriate policy be framed for the establishment of treatment plants, extraction of Ganga water and discharge of wastewater.


10. Rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharging technologies be adopted immediately in different zones of the Ganga basin.


11. In order to implement the projects effectively an efficient monitoring committee consisting experts from different fields be constituted for regular trimonthly monitoring.


12. Gomukh to Bay of Bengal (2525 Km) Ganga consists of three different ecosystems with specific characters. Henceforth, detailed investigations on different eco-system components may provide better tool to conserve the Ganga.

New York Times News article on River Ganga

VARANASI, India — For centuries, Hindus have brought their dead to banks of the Ganges River in this ancient city, with the promise that if their bodies are burned on the riverfront, their souls will escape the constant cycle of rebirth and attain moksha, or salvation. Transporting their souls is the goddess of the river, whose ebbs and flows have run through thousands of years of civilization.

Now this city’s holy waters are at the center of one of the most important elections in India’s modern history as Narendra Modi, the front-runner in the race for prime minister, has made the cleanup of the sacred river a metaphor for his campaign. He says he wants to restore the river’s purity just as he will revive a nation sullied by corruption and stalled by mismanagement and bureaucratic sloth.

There was a time in living memory when the water in the river was clean enough to drink, said Shyamlal Eshad, a boatman in his 50s. Today, three hundred million liters of raw sewage mixed with industrial pollutants are dumped in the Ganges here every day, according to B.D. Tripathi, an environmental scientist and an advocate for cleaning the Ganges. The stench along the uneven cobblestone steps in parts of Varanasi is overpowering, and Mr. Eshad laments his goddess in decline.

“I feel Mother Ganga has called me to Varanasi,” Mr. Modi said to a sea of caps, masks and flags in saffron, the color of his Bharatiya Janata Party, at a rally leading up to the voting here on Monday. Results are expected Friday. “I feel like a child who has returned to his mother’s lap,” he said.

Dr. Tripathi, an environmental science professor at Banaras Hindu University and a member of a government panel studying the Ganges, said the flow of the Ganges is being blocked by dams for irrigation and electricity, limiting its ability to clean itself. Ninety-five percent of the pollution comes from the raw sewage and industrial pollutants pouring into it; the rest is half-burned flesh and religious items, he said. Officials claim they lack the money to build proper water-treatment facilities.

“We are converting a river into a pond due to our actions,” said Dr. Tripathi, blaming mismanagement for the many hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the river with little to show for it. Like many here, he believes Mr. Modi is the only candidate decisive enough to save the river.

“Modi’s approach with Varanasi, is definitely for a lot of Hindus, a call to the ancient past,” said Nilanjana S. Roy, a writer. “It’s an attempt to create a Hindu symbol and it’s a call to clean up the pollution of the culture.” 

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