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Fig. 5: Overview
Fig. 5: Overview
Vision: To restore the wholesomeness of river Ganga in terms of Aviral Dhara (continuous flow) and Nirmal Dhara (unpolluted flow) along with preserving its ecological and geological entity using Geospatial technologies.
Objectives
y Working with a holistic multi-sectoral, multi-agency and multi-level approach in four broad categories:
Æ Pollution Abatement (Nirmal Ganga)
Æ Improving flow and ecology (Aviral Ganga)
Æ Strengthening People-River connect (Jan Ganga), and
Æ Research, and knowledge management (Gyan Ganga). y To follow a river-centric, basin-based approach for comprehensive rejuvenation. y Deriving learnings from the past and from some of the global best practices for river rejuvenation. y Creation of sewerage infrastructure, solid waste management, industrial pollution abatement, rural sanitation and water quality monitoring, environmental flow, riverfront development, afforestation and biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, public participation, Arth Ganga and policies, research & innovation.
Stakeholders Involved
A five-tier structure at the national, state and district level envisaged taking measures for prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga. The key stakeholders include:
y NMCG, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central and State Government line departments y Non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, dedicated cadres of Ganga saviours such as
Ganga Doots, Ganga Mitras, Ganga Praharies, etc. y Partner institutions and academic institutions such as Survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India, Indian
Institute of Technologies, School of Planning and Architecture, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Indian
Institute of Remote Sensing, National Remote Sensing Centre, Central Pollution Control Board, National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Vigyan Prasar, Centre for Science and Environment, etc. y Several international organizations such as the World Bank, GIZ, United Nations Development Program,
UN-Habitat, United Nations Environment Program, European Union, etc. y Countries like South Korea, Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel and Norway. Solution and Implementation
The Namami Gange mission is the first of its kind river rejuvenation and conservation mission in the world, which is being implemented at such a stage of the development cycle of a country, inundated with several firsts:
1. HAM-PPP Model: Launched in 2017, the Hybrid Annuity based Public Private Partnership Model (HAM-
PPP) Model is a unique intervention developed for Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) in the Ganga
River Basin. The model comprises 100% central government funding through NMCG, for both developments as well as O&M of the STPs for a period of 15 years. The novelty of HAM-PPP stems from assured government funding, continued performance, distinct accountability, and ownership for performance over an extended period. 2. The One City One Operator Model (OCOP): OCOP incorporates the development of new STPs along with the existing treatment infrastructure in the ULBs with the vision of complete elimination of untreated sewage entering the River Ganga. Projects have been rolled in various cities such as Kanpur, Prayagraj, Mathura, Patna, Kolkata, Howrah-Bally-Kamarhati-Baranagar Bhagalpur, Farrukhabad,
Mirzapur, Ghazipur, Agra, Bareilly, Burdwan, Durgapur, Asansol, etc. and are under various stages of completion. 3. Minimum Ecological Flow in River Ganga: There is a growing recognition of the need to ensure adequate water flows for the environment as they are the main drivers of biodiversity in the aquatic ecosystem.
Subsequently, NMCG released the gazette notification on 21st October 2019, to ensure the minimum ecological flow in River Ganga. The notification made it mandatory for all existing projects to be altered and for future projects to ensure that the minimum flow of water in the river is always maintained
Use of Geospatial Technologies
Namami Gange has been recognized as India’s leading programme in using geospatial technologies for river basin management and regulating the proposed protected and regulatory zones along the banks of the river. The flagship program has a high priority for research and evidence-based decision-making and has a special place for the use of Satellite Information, the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, LiDAR and UAV Mapping, Digital Twins, Machine Learning, Blockchain Technology and Artificial Intelligence.
Some interesting examples of the use of Geospatial technologies for the Namami Gange Programme are as follows:
GIS Mapping of Ganga Basin
NMCG has collaborated with Survey of India, the oldest survey & mapping department in the country set up in 1767, to facilitate the Ganga rejuvenation task by using GIS technology for mapping the Ganga basin in high resolution generating Digital Elevation Models (DEM). Mapping was done for a buffer length of 10 km along the river, the total area spanning 43,084 sq. km.
The mapping area Deliverables of mapping include:
y Digital Elevation Model/ Digital Terrain Model mapped at contours of 1.0 m, ortho-photos (25 cm Ground sampling distance or better) y GIS-ready datasets on:
Æ Entire public sewerage network
Æ Outlets/vents of sewerage and other discharge from all dwelling units, industrial, commercial and all types of other institutions, mapped from the source outlet to the public drainage network.
Æ Crematoria, ghats, RFD, solid waste disposal sites, STP/ETP/CETP etc. for the defined project’s areas of interest.
Æ Critical pollution hotspots.
Pilot Study on Spring Rejuvenation for Tehri Garhwal District, Uttarakhand
At a cost of $85 million, the project under implementation by SoI and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the project involves schematic mapping of the Tehri Garhwal district for preparing an inventory of all springs in the area using LiDAR, hydrogeomorphic and liniment studies. Different types of springs and their recharge zones were identified, followed by the construction of rainwater harvesting and artificial structure for their rejuvenation.
The rejuvenation of dying springs in the Tokoli Gad catchment basin in the Tehri Garhwal district deploys geochemical and geophysical techniques and is currently under implementation by IIT Roorkee. The project aims to assess the impact of land use land cover change or the impact of natural or anthropogenic precipitation variability and strengthen local water governance and participatory spring-shed management in the area.
Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS)
In line with the importance of real-time data networks for water quality management and estimation of spatial and temporal variability in water quality at a particular site, the OCEMS was established to facilitate compliance verification and real-time data transmission from grossly polluting industries (GPIs). Till 31st December 2021, 959 GPIs (out of 1080 GPIs) in river Ganga and 293 GPIs (out of 1660 GPIs) in river Yamuna basin have been connected using OCEMS. Quality Monitoring and Management using Geospatial Technologies
Water quality checks of River Ganga are also being carried out through a network of 36 Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring Systems (RTWQMS) since 2017 and displayed on a web portal. These real-time stations measure the water quality of river Ganga on a 24x 7 basis for 17 parameters through sensors, including temperature, pH, turbidity, water level, colour, total suspended solids, conductivity, nitrates, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia, chloride, fluoride, potassium, TOC, biochemical oxygen demand and BTX. Calibrations are recorded at regular intervals to ensure quality assured data assessment of the river water quality. Recently, 40 additional real-time stations have also been set up in the Ganga basin. GIS is bringing a paradigm shift in the visualization of all crucial spatial and non-spatial information related to the Ganga basin, encouraging accurate and transparent decision-making.
The GIS Cell of NMCG has also developed a geoportal – the Ganga Water Quality Information System – in collaboration with Esri India. The geoportal is a treasure mine of resources for informed decision-making regarding compliance and non-compliance statuses of STPs and water quality trend analysis of River Ganga based on manual water quality monitoring stations. The portal also houses information on the main stem’s water quality data from 2014 to 2021. Users can extrapolate the portal data to make sense of trends and better identify decisions in “Nirmal Ganga”.
Aquifer Mapping for Ganga River Basin Management Plan
The National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad, is executing a project aimed at aquifer mapping and data generation focused on paleo-channels in parts of the Kaushambi-Kanpur Ganga Yamuna Doab. The objective is to track the existing paleo-channel for engineered groundwater recharge and augmentation initiatives in Uttar Pradesh. This project further shapes development plans for managing aquifer recharge, eventually supporting increased river flow during the lean season. The project also involves 3D mapping of the principal aquifers system, establishing key linkages, and estimating the paleo-channels age profile and climate conditions.
‘Satellite Image-derived Water Quality Research (SIWAR), River Ganges
The pilot project SIWAR was executed by World Resources Institute (WRI) India to understand if satellite image-derived water quality measurements can effectively supplement in-situ water quality monitoring. Rapid Assessment of Sand Mining and Its Impact on Ganga River
Spanning the stretch from Raiwala to Bhogpur in Uttarakhand, with a history of sand mining activities, the pilot project deploys historical remote sensing data and drone technologies to detect any impacts of previous and current sand mining. A comprehensive assessment is being made of the status of mining activity in the entire state and its impact on river morphology and ecology for establishing a long-term strategy. Several tributaries in the state are highly sediment-charged, and therefore, a balance has to be maintained between excessive sediment aggradation and channel stability through river training and strategic sand mining. The research project by IIT Kanpur on “Geomorphic and Ecological Impacts of Sand Mining in Large Rivers” studies both offsite and onsite impacts resulting from indiscriminate extraction of river sand and gravel that leads to changes in channel form, physical habitats, food webs and engineering structures associated with river channels and its watershed.
Census Survey of Water Bodies in Ganga Basin
The project is being executed by the Quality Council of India (QCI) using drone technology to map all water bodies in the 31 Ganga districts (3189 villages) of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Further plans for improvement and rejuvenation of water bodies that are either dried up or working less than their full efficiency can be developed based on this survey.
Reconstructing the Ganga from the Past
The project is being implemented by IIT Kanpur using Corona archival imagery that shows a comparison of the river’s status between the 1960s and present times. Reference conditions of the River Ganga have been thus established so that changes in its morphological characteristics and land use/land cover (LULC) changes can be quantified from the 1960s onwards. This is helping shape a policy document on “Desirable” land use within the Ganga valley.
Mapping Microbial Diversity across the Ganges for Ecosystem Services
Implemented by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur, the study attempts to understand the water quality of the river Ganga with a specific focus on parameters indicating the interactions of the river with its environment. Being highly analytical and interdisciplinary, the project provides a strong scientific rationale to understand the bacteriophage and microbial population diversity in the stretch and both their purifying properties and disease predictions in the river.
Under implementation by IIT Delhi, the project maps out high-resolution (10 km X 10 km) climate scenarios for basin-scale water resources management in the Indo-Gangetic plain. One of the major outcomes of this project is an improved understanding and scientifically rigorous estimates of climate change and its impact on water resources.
Cultural Mapping of River Ganga from Origin to Delta
NMCG in partnership with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is conducting cultural mapping of the main stem of the Ganga to document the rich natural, built, and intangible heritage associated with the river.
Other Initiatives:
y A scientific plan for afforestation along the Ganga is being devised, with the help of the Forest Research
Institute (FRI), Dehradun. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is mapping the region’s biodiversity for the entire river length, targeting scientific improvement of habitat and species. y A dedicated programme for the mapping and conservation of fisheries resources has been taken up in association with the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI). y A project on the Identification of Critical Soil Erosion Prone Areas and Preparation of a Catchment Area
Treatment Plan is currently under implementation by IIT Roorkee. y A study on the Environmental Flow Assessment for Yamuna River from Hathnikund Barrage to Okhla Barrage is also under progress by the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee.
