By HIMANSHU THAKKAR
The Ganges remains 1 of the most polluted rivers inward the world, despite existence a key lifeline for one-half a billion people inward the South Asian subcontinent. In India, pollution inward the river in addition to problems amongst year-around menstruum convey persisted despite decades of authorities initiatives. In 2014, the newly elected authorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a massive 200 billion rupee (US$2.9 billion) Namami Gange Program for “integrated conservation” of the river, also known every bit Ganga, amongst 2 primary objectives: cleaning the river in addition to ensuring year-around flow. Four years downward the road, however, at that spot has been little success inward rejuvenating the ailing river.
In a study submitted to the Lok Sabha (lower solid of India’s Parliament) inward May 2016, a parliamentary estimates commission (2016-17) for the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development in addition to Ganga Rejuvenation said “indiscriminate anthropogenic interventions similar construction of HPPs [hydropower plants] inward the seismically active in addition to frail Himalayas, diversion of 80-90% of water, discharge of extremely hazardous effluents past times 144 drains, in addition to dumping of solid waste matter [have] converted the Ganga into 1 of the 10 most polluted rivers of the world.”
“The Public Accounts Committee (2014-15) inward their eighth Report on Water Pollution had expressed distress that the Ganga has move 1 of the v most polluted rivers inward the world, despite launching of the ‘Ganga Action Plan’ in addition to the ‘Mission Clean Ganga’ (2009) past times the National Ganga River Basin Authority,” the study noted.
In its comprehensive functioning audit of the Namami Gange Program inward 2017, the Comptroller in addition to Auditor General of Bharat constitute serious deficiencies in addition to shortfalls inward almost every appear of the program. The audit also revealed that the programme had no long-term roadmap.
“National Mission for Clean Ganga could non finalize the long-term activeness plans fifty-fifty … to a greater extent than than half dozen in addition to one-half years [after] signing of understanding amongst the consortium of Indian Institutes of Technology. As a result, National Mission for Clean Ganga does non convey a river-basin administration innovation fifty-fifty afterward a lapse of to a greater extent than than 8 years of National Ganga River Basin Authority notification,” it noted.
“During 2016-17, full coliform levels inward all the cities of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar in addition to West Bengal [were] rattling high, ranging betwixt half dozen [and] 3,343 times higher than the prescribed levels. Specific parameters for water-quality monitoring of the river Ganga convey non been prescribed past times National Mission for Clean Ganga,” the Comptroller in addition to Auditor General found.
Last September, federal cabinet government minister Nitin Gadkari was given additional accuse of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development in addition to Ganga Rejuvenation, despite it existence inward conflict amongst the other portfolios he held, such every bit Waterways. In May, Gadkari said inward a press conference that past times March 2019, 70-80% of Ganga would endure cleaned in addition to that past times Dec 2019, Ganga would endure 100% clean.
However, on the ground, at that spot was no immediate sign of improvement inward state of River Ganga. None of the actions of the National Mission for Clean Ganga were either a suspension from the past times or signified major change. In fact, at no phase was at that spot fifty-fifty an honest elbow grease to review past times actions to larn what works in addition to what does not.
Gadkari has made a serial of such statements amongst shifting, illusory in addition to non-specific goalposts on River Ganga. So past times this disputation the government minister mayhap meant that 70-80% of the budgeted total for the programme would endure spent past times March 2019 in addition to 100% past times Dec 2019. And this volition evidently non assist ameliorate the state of Ganga, since this is just what has been done since 1985, without whatever improvement inward state of the river, straightaway for 33 years.
One argue behind the government minister making such a hope could endure the ongoing National Ganga River Basin Project that is funded past times the World Bank. In its latest “Implementation Status in addition to Results Report” for the project, released inward May, the World Bank declared that progress toward achievement of projection objectives in addition to overall implementation remained “moderately unsatisfactory.” This was the Bank’s 15th study on the project.
More alarming, the study declared that the project’s overall guide a opportunity rating was “substantial,” a degree upwardly from the previous assessment that indicated “moderate” risk. The guide a opportunity it was mensuration was “institutional capacity for implementation in addition to sustainability” in addition to “environment in addition to social” aspects. The World Bank was highly concerned most the disbursement of projection funds, 7 years since the project’s approval, which stood at but 13.15% of the projected disbursement of $1 billion, in addition to but 0.3% ($2 million) of the International Bank for Reconstruction in addition to Development gene worth $801 million.
No points for guessing, Gadkari’s deadline for 100% expenditure coincided amongst the World Bank Project closing appointment of Dec 2019. The World Bank has e'er been “flexible” to the needs of governments, in addition to hence the review also mentioned, “Government of Bharat in addition to the World Bank are discussing diverse options for restructuring the project.”
The means forward
All the on-ground evidence in addition to independent assessments brand clear that the electrical current National Mission for Clean Ganga programme is non probable to ameliorate the state of River Ganga.
While at that spot is no doubtfulness that funds, infrastructure, technology, laws in addition to institutions are necessary, it is also of import to run into that repeating past times actions is non going to help. The commencement footstep should endure to assess the project’s journeying in addition to hence far in addition to larn the reasons behind its failure. Second, at that spot is a require to brand the governance of everything related to River Ganga to a greater extent than democratic, transparent, accountable in addition to participatory. No attending is existence paid to governance at introduce in addition to at that spot is no commonwealth inward the governance.
The procedure needs to await at all options, including nature-based sewage-treatment options, decentralized sewage-treatment plants, in addition to seeing pelting every bit the key focus of water-resources evolution in addition to management. Bharat also urgently needs a national urban H2O policy considering the increasing footprint of urban areas on Ganga in addition to other rivers.
It’s non but the Comptroller in addition to Auditor General, the World Bank or parliamentary committees that convey questioned the means governments are tackling the Ganga issue. Even state governments such every bit Bihar’s, the High Courts, the Supreme Court in addition to the National Green Tribunal convey been critical of Ganga cleaning efforts.
Even an ally of the authorities in addition to mortal who calls himself a blood brother to the prime number minister, Prof G D Agarwal, straightaway known every bit Swami Gyan Swarup Sanand, has been on a fast unto conk since June 22 for the crusade of Ganga. But the authorities has no fourth dimension for him or, past times implication, River Ganga.
Buat lebih berguna, kongsi:
