To kickstart the project, the NMCG has identified Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Patna, Sahibganj, Mathura, Ganga Sagar and Haridwar as priority cities.
While it may take some time before the Centre is able to abate industrial pollution flowing into the holy Ganga, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) will soon kick-off projects to control surface pollution that have turned the river into an eye-sore. The empowered steering committee (ESC) of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) recently accepted the proposal to carry out a pilot study - 'Swacch Ganga cities and Ghats' - across eighth major cities along the river.
The ESC comprises of senior officials from ministry of water resources, environment, power, urban development, shipping and NMCG officials.
To kickstart the project, the NMCG has identified Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Patna, Sahibganj, Mathura, Ganga Sagar and Haridwar as priority cities. As part of this pilot study, to be carried out by States Project Management Group (SPMG), the polluted stretches of the river close to its banks and Ghats would be cleaned up.
The ESC was requested to provide, the SPMG, an approximate budget of Rs.5.5 crore per city. The SPMG's could also add more cities to the pilot ahead, in consultation with the NMCG.
The NMCG has proposed clean-up solid waste and surface pollution with a combination of machinery and treatment of water. This would involve use of trash skimmers to collect and compact floating solid waste, treatment of stagnant pools of river water by way of aeration, use of trash booms for additional collection of floating waste and fencing of nullahs and drains to stop solid waste from entering the river.
On a trial basis, the NMCG had earlier engaged local fishermen who used their boats equipped with machinery to collect floating waste. To use trash skimmers, the ESC has asked NMCG to invite 'expression of interest' and submit details of the cost of renting or buying such machines.
Though not the biggest contributor to pollution of Ganga, dumping of solid waste and pious refuse, still, remains one of the biggest problems, in cleaning the river.
Not only does the dumping of waste and littering has made the river an eye-sore, the religious and spiritual sentiments attached has made the task of putting an end to littering of pious refuse trickier.
Earlier this month, water resources minister Uma Bharti had made it clear that her ministry would not like to bring in new rules that may hurt the 'spiritual sentiments' of the people at large. Ministry officials, though, have maintained that a draft law on abatement of Ganga pollution has been prepared, that also includes penal provisions for dumping waste in the river.
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