Magazine Volume-17 | June 2020

National Mission for Clean Ganga Department of Water Resources, River Development

& Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti,

Government of India

Hon’ble Jal Shakti Minister on World Environment Day

] ]vad&17 A twu 2020

#Feedback on 16th Edition

uekfe xaxs uked if=dk i<+us dk lqvolj çkIr gqvkA ty'kfä ea=ky; Hkkjr ljdkj }kjk fudkyh xbZ ;g if=dk eka xaxs o Hkkjr esa cgus okyh vU; ufn;ksa ds fy, fujUrj dke dj jgh ;kstukvksa vkSj dk;ksaZ ls voxr djkrh gSA ea=ky; }kjk yxkrkj ifrr ikouh eka xaxk o lg;ksfx;ksa ufn;ksa dks vfojy cukus esa dkQh gnrd lQy gq, gSa ftlds QyLo:i vkt eka HkkxhjFkh csgrj fLFkfr esa gSaA vr% eSa iw.kZ fo'okl ds lkFk dg ldrh gwa fd vkus okys le; esa lHkh ufn;ksa dks 'kq) fueZy cukus esa ge iwjh rjg lQy gksaxsA bu çsjd ç;klksa ds fy, eSa Hkkjr ljdkj dh 'kqHkdkeukvksa lfgr ç'kalk djrh gwaA

ik;y flag pkSgku la;kstd% czt {ks=

¼xaxk fopkj eap½ lekt lsoh vkxjk ¼mÙkj çns'k½

MagazineVolume-17 | June 2020

eq[; laiknd dh dye ls

3

Congratulations to you and your team on Namami Gange Magazine, the newsletter which is successfully disseminating work of NMCG and its partners for rejuvenation of the Holy River. This has turned out to be the go to magazine to understand in a nutshell all that Namami Gange is up to. It's a great idea to have subsections which work as a series, for example the partner series. Some of the pages which are nicely done and stand out from the rest of the pages include - pages 2, 14 and 19. I would like to make some suggestions like if you can limit the colors used in the background, to highlight the text and It would be good to have bigger pictures where there are more than three people in it.Having said that overall this magazine brings all the relevant information about the programme timely and helps us remain updated with the progress of various initiatives of NMCG and its partners, therefore, we eagerly wait for the subsequent issue of the month.

Bhitush LuthraProgramme Manager, Water Programme

Centre for Science & Environment

Rajiv Ranjan MishraDirector General, NMCGChief Editor

Rozy AgarwalExecutive Director, (Finance)Senior Editor

Binod KumarDirector (Project), Associate Editor

Sanjam ChimaMedia Coordinator

Pratima Marwah Design and Development Coordinator

Peeyush GuptaDesign and Development Coordinator

Athrava RajCompilation and Coordination

Melvin LakraProject Coordinator

Kritika MadanCreatives Compilation Social Media Team

Rajesh KumarDesign and Development Support

laikndh; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

. . . . 4

Report from NMCG Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Namami Gange – Integrated Mission to Rejuvenate Ganga Basin

uekfe xaxs ifj;kstukvksa dh jkT;ksa ls fjiksVZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Celebrating Biological Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Biological Health Assessment of River Ganga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Rudraksh Plantation In Mid-hills of Uttarakhand Himalayas . . . . . . . . . 9

The Great Ganga quest- Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Sparsh Ganga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Ganga Knowledge Centre - The Ganga in History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Sustainable Agriculture For Rejuvenation of Ganga Basin. . . . . . . 14-15

Multi-stakeholder Engagements through webinars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Important Events & Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Species Richness in Ganga - A series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

cgrh xaxk dh /kkjk mNy mNy dgrh gS vkbZ gwa LoxZ ls eS

gs ekuo rq>s rkj.k dks /kjrh ls tkus dks LoxZ fjf"k eqfu djrs gS ri

lkspks tjk ml LoxZ dks NksM+ gwa vorjhr /kjrh ij esjh ifo= /kkjk dks ifo= gh cgus nks gwa eS lcdh xaxk

lc ikih;ksa dk iki /kksrh gwagj tho dh I;kl cq>krh gwaekuo gks rks ekuork fn[kkvks c<+kvks dne eq>s cpkus dks foeq[k gksdj ykSV u tkÅa

LoxZ dh vksj gs ekuo laHkyks tjk

cgus nks ifo= esjh /kkjk /kjrh ij gh LoxZ cukus nksAgs ekuo laHkyks] laHkyks tjkA

----xqìu flag] xaxk çgjh

xaxk dh iqdkj ---fç; ikBdks]

ge ,d ckj fQj vkids le{k uekfe xaxs if=dk dk twu vad ysdj gkftj gks jgs gSaA jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'ku }kjk xr ekg esa dh xbZ xfrfof/k;ksa dh fjiksVZ bl if=dk esa vkidh lwpukFkZ çLrqr gSaA

eq>s vki lc dks ;g lwfpr djrs gq, [kq'kh gks jgh gS fd

uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds vUrxZr ifj;kstukvksa ij fuekZ.k dk;Z ,d ckj fQj ls 'kq: gks x, gS vkSj xfr idM+ jgs gSaA bl vad esa fofHkUu jkT;ksa esa iqu% 'kq: gq, dk;ksaZ fd dqN >yfd;ka çLrqr dj jgs gSaA ges vk'kk gS fd vkus okys eghuksa esa fuekZ.k dk;Z vkSj xfr ls vkxs c<+saxsA

bl ekg esa ‡ twu „å„å dks fo'o i;kZoj.k fnol ij geus ̂ xaxk DosLV* ued çfr;ksfxrk dks lQyrk iwoZd laiUu fd;k vkSj bl jkspd ç'uksÙkjh ds fotsrkvksa ds uke Hkh ?kksf"kr fd,A ges bl ckr dh [kq'kh gS fd bl çfr;ksfxrk ds ek/;e ls ge yk[kksa yksxks dks uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe vkSj fo'ks"k :i ls xaxk ls tksM+ ldsA bl çfr;ksfxrk esa ƒƒ yk[k ls vf/kd yksxksa us iathdj.k fd;k [kkldj cPpksa vkSj ;qokvksa us c<+ p<+ dj bl esa çfrHkkx fy;kA vc rd dk ;g lcls c<+k tu tkxj.k dk;ZØe ds :i esa mHkj ds vk;k gSA ge vkxs Hkh blh çdkj ds jkspd tu laidZ dk;ZØe vki rd ysdj vkrs jgsaxsA

tSlk fd ge lc tkurs gSa fd xaxk ,d ,sfrgkfld unh gSa vkSj bldk egRo iqjk.kksa esa Hkh vafdr gSaA bfrgkl esa gj dky esa bldk mYys[k gq, gSa vkSj dbZ ys[kdksa us bldk ckjs esa foLrkj ls fy[kk gSA blh dkj.k ge xaxk ds lkaL—frd egRo dk ladyu dj jgs gS tks tYn gh vkids lkeus çLrqr djsaxsA

jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'ku ds ;gh ç;kl gS fd ge vf/kd ls vf/kd yksxksa rd igqaps vkSj blh ds pyrs ge cgqr ls ̂osfcukj* esa fgLlk ys jgs gSa tgka uk flQZ ge xaxk iqu#)kj ds dk;ZØe gj ,d rd igqapus ds ç;kl djrs gSa vkSj lkFk lkFk bu lHkkvksa esa tqM+us okys i;kZoj.k] ty laj{k.k ,oe~ unh fodkl ij fo'ks"kKksa ls muds dk;Z vkSj vuqHkoksa ds ckjs esa Kku çkIr dj ikrs gSa tks gekjs fy, ekxZ n'kZu dk dke djsaxsA

ge vius Lrj ij xaxk dks vfojy vkSj fueZy cuk, j[kus ds gj laHko ç;kl dj jgs gSa vkSj vius lgHkxhnjks ds lkFk feydj bl usd dk;Z dks vatke ns jgs gSaA xaxk vkSj i;kZoj.k laj{k.k le; dh iqdkj gSa vkSj ge lcdks lkFk feydj i;kZoj.k vkSj xaxk ds mRFkku ds fy, gj rjg ls viuh Hkkxhnkjh nsus dk le; vk x;k gSaA dksjksuk egkekjh us ;g Li"V :i ls n'kkZ fn;k gS fd unh vkSj i;kZoj.k lkQ vkSj LoPN j[ksa tk ldrs gS cl gesa vkSj vkidks buds laj{k.k ds fy, çfrc) gksuk iM+sxkA gesa fodkl vkSj i;kZoj.k esa ,d larqyu cuk ds j[kuk gS ftlls fd ge lc LoPN okrkoj.k dk ykHk mBkrs jgsA

geas bl ckr dh Hkh [kq'kh gSa fd geas ljdkjh vkSj xSljdkjh çdk'kuksa esa viuh ckr j[kus ds volj fey jgs gSa vkSj xr fnuksa esa esjs }kjk fy[ks x, ys[k dqN ukeh if=dkvksa esa çdkf'kr gq, tks ;g n'kkZrk gS fd gekjs xaxk laj{k.k ij fd;s tk jgs ç;klksa dks igpku fey jgh gSaA

vkb, ge lc feydj xaxk lQkbZ vkSj iqu#)kj ds fy, viuh dej dl ys vkSj bl iq.; dk;Z esa ru eu ls tqM+ tk,A ges vkids lq>koksa dk bartkj jgsxkA

jktho jatu feJk egkfuns'kd

jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'kuEmail: dg@nmcg.nic.in

2

] ]vad&17 A twu 2020

#Feedback on 16th Edition

uekfe xaxs uked if=dk i<+us dk lqvolj çkIr gqvkA ty'kfä ea=ky; Hkkjr ljdkj }kjk fudkyh xbZ ;g if=dk eka xaxs o Hkkjr esa cgus okyh vU; ufn;ksa ds fy, fujUrj dke dj jgh ;kstukvksa vkSj dk;ksaZ ls voxr djkrh gSA ea=ky; }kjk yxkrkj ifrr ikouh eka xaxk o lg;ksfx;ksa ufn;ksa dks vfojy cukus esa dkQh gnrd lQy gq, gSa ftlds QyLo:i vkt eka HkkxhjFkh csgrj fLFkfr esa gSaA vr% eSa iw.kZ fo'okl ds lkFk dg ldrh gwa fd vkus okys le; esa lHkh ufn;ksa dks 'kq) fueZy cukus esa ge iwjh rjg lQy gksaxsA bu çsjd ç;klksa ds fy, eSa Hkkjr ljdkj dh 'kqHkdkeukvksa lfgr ç'kalk djrh gwaA

ik;y flag pkSgku la;kstd% czt {ks=

¼xaxk fopkj eap½ lekt lsoh vkxjk ¼mÙkj çns'k½

MagazineVolume-17 | June 2020

eq[; laiknd dh dye ls

3

Congratulations to you and your team on Namami Gange Magazine, the newsletter which is successfully disseminating work of NMCG and its partners for rejuvenation of the Holy River. This has turned out to be the go to magazine to understand in a nutshell all that Namami Gange is up to. It's a great idea to have subsections which work as a series, for example the partner series. Some of the pages which are nicely done and stand out from the rest of the pages include - pages 2, 14 and 19. I would like to make some suggestions like if you can limit the colors used in the background, to highlight the text and It would be good to have bigger pictures where there are more than three people in it.Having said that overall this magazine brings all the relevant information about the programme timely and helps us remain updated with the progress of various initiatives of NMCG and its partners, therefore, we eagerly wait for the subsequent issue of the month.

Bhitush LuthraProgramme Manager, Water Programme

Centre for Science & Environment

Rajiv Ranjan MishraDirector General, NMCGChief Editor

Rozy AgarwalExecutive Director, (Finance)Senior Editor

Binod KumarDirector (Project), Associate Editor

Sanjam ChimaMedia Coordinator

Pratima Marwah Design and Development Coordinator

Peeyush GuptaDesign and Development Coordinator

Athrava RajCompilation and Coordination

Melvin LakraProject Coordinator

Kritika MadanCreatives Compilation Social Media Team

Rajesh KumarDesign and Development Support

laikndh; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

. . . . 4

Report from NMCG Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Namami Gange – Integrated Mission to Rejuvenate Ganga Basin

uekfe xaxs ifj;kstukvksa dh jkT;ksa ls fjiksVZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Celebrating Biological Diversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Biological Health Assessment of River Ganga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Rudraksh Plantation In Mid-hills of Uttarakhand Himalayas . . . . . . . . . 9

The Great Ganga quest- Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11

Sparsh Ganga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Ganga Knowledge Centre - The Ganga in History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Sustainable Agriculture For Rejuvenation of Ganga Basin. . . . . . . 14-15

Multi-stakeholder Engagements through webinars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Important Events & Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Species Richness in Ganga - A series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

cgrh xaxk dh /kkjk mNy mNy dgrh gS vkbZ gwa LoxZ ls eS

gs ekuo rq>s rkj.k dks /kjrh ls tkus dks LoxZ fjf"k eqfu djrs gS ri

lkspks tjk ml LoxZ dks NksM+ gwa vorjhr /kjrh ij esjh ifo= /kkjk dks ifo= gh cgus nks gwa eS lcdh xaxk

lc ikih;ksa dk iki /kksrh gwagj tho dh I;kl cq>krh gwaekuo gks rks ekuork fn[kkvks c<+kvks dne eq>s cpkus dks foeq[k gksdj ykSV u tkÅa

LoxZ dh vksj gs ekuo laHkyks tjk

cgus nks ifo= esjh /kkjk /kjrh ij gh LoxZ cukus nksAgs ekuo laHkyks] laHkyks tjkA

----xqìu flag] xaxk çgjh

xaxk dh iqdkj ---fç; ikBdks]

ge ,d ckj fQj vkids le{k uekfe xaxs if=dk dk twu vad ysdj gkftj gks jgs gSaA jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'ku }kjk xr ekg esa dh xbZ xfrfof/k;ksa dh fjiksVZ bl if=dk esa vkidh lwpukFkZ çLrqr gSaA

eq>s vki lc dks ;g lwfpr djrs gq, [kq'kh gks jgh gS fd

uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds vUrxZr ifj;kstukvksa ij fuekZ.k dk;Z ,d ckj fQj ls 'kq: gks x, gS vkSj xfr idM+ jgs gSaA bl vad esa fofHkUu jkT;ksa esa iqu% 'kq: gq, dk;ksaZ fd dqN >yfd;ka çLrqr dj jgs gSaA ges vk'kk gS fd vkus okys eghuksa esa fuekZ.k dk;Z vkSj xfr ls vkxs c<+saxsA

bl ekg esa ‡ twu „å„å dks fo'o i;kZoj.k fnol ij geus ̂ xaxk DosLV* ued çfr;ksfxrk dks lQyrk iwoZd laiUu fd;k vkSj bl jkspd ç'uksÙkjh ds fotsrkvksa ds uke Hkh ?kksf"kr fd,A ges bl ckr dh [kq'kh gS fd bl çfr;ksfxrk ds ek/;e ls ge yk[kksa yksxks dks uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe vkSj fo'ks"k :i ls xaxk ls tksM+ ldsA bl çfr;ksfxrk esa ƒƒ yk[k ls vf/kd yksxksa us iathdj.k fd;k [kkldj cPpksa vkSj ;qokvksa us c<+ p<+ dj bl esa çfrHkkx fy;kA vc rd dk ;g lcls c<+k tu tkxj.k dk;ZØe ds :i esa mHkj ds vk;k gSA ge vkxs Hkh blh çdkj ds jkspd tu laidZ dk;ZØe vki rd ysdj vkrs jgsaxsA

tSlk fd ge lc tkurs gSa fd xaxk ,d ,sfrgkfld unh gSa vkSj bldk egRo iqjk.kksa esa Hkh vafdr gSaA bfrgkl esa gj dky esa bldk mYys[k gq, gSa vkSj dbZ ys[kdksa us bldk ckjs esa foLrkj ls fy[kk gSA blh dkj.k ge xaxk ds lkaL—frd egRo dk ladyu dj jgs gS tks tYn gh vkids lkeus çLrqr djsaxsA

jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'ku ds ;gh ç;kl gS fd ge vf/kd ls vf/kd yksxksa rd igqaps vkSj blh ds pyrs ge cgqr ls ̂osfcukj* esa fgLlk ys jgs gSa tgka uk flQZ ge xaxk iqu#)kj ds dk;ZØe gj ,d rd igqapus ds ç;kl djrs gSa vkSj lkFk lkFk bu lHkkvksa esa tqM+us okys i;kZoj.k] ty laj{k.k ,oe~ unh fodkl ij fo'ks"kKksa ls muds dk;Z vkSj vuqHkoksa ds ckjs esa Kku çkIr dj ikrs gSa tks gekjs fy, ekxZ n'kZu dk dke djsaxsA

ge vius Lrj ij xaxk dks vfojy vkSj fueZy cuk, j[kus ds gj laHko ç;kl dj jgs gSa vkSj vius lgHkxhnjks ds lkFk feydj bl usd dk;Z dks vatke ns jgs gSaA xaxk vkSj i;kZoj.k laj{k.k le; dh iqdkj gSa vkSj ge lcdks lkFk feydj i;kZoj.k vkSj xaxk ds mRFkku ds fy, gj rjg ls viuh Hkkxhnkjh nsus dk le; vk x;k gSaA dksjksuk egkekjh us ;g Li"V :i ls n'kkZ fn;k gS fd unh vkSj i;kZoj.k lkQ vkSj LoPN j[ksa tk ldrs gS cl gesa vkSj vkidks buds laj{k.k ds fy, çfrc) gksuk iM+sxkA gesa fodkl vkSj i;kZoj.k esa ,d larqyu cuk ds j[kuk gS ftlls fd ge lc LoPN okrkoj.k dk ykHk mBkrs jgsA

geas bl ckr dh Hkh [kq'kh gSa fd geas ljdkjh vkSj xSljdkjh çdk'kuksa esa viuh ckr j[kus ds volj fey jgs gSa vkSj xr fnuksa esa esjs }kjk fy[ks x, ys[k dqN ukeh if=dkvksa esa çdkf'kr gq, tks ;g n'kkZrk gS fd gekjs xaxk laj{k.k ij fd;s tk jgs ç;klksa dks igpku fey jgh gSaA

vkb, ge lc feydj xaxk lQkbZ vkSj iqu#)kj ds fy, viuh dej dl ys vkSj bl iq.; dk;Z esa ru eu ls tqM+ tk,A ges vkids lq>koksa dk bartkj jgsxkA

jktho jatu feJk egkfuns'kd

jk"Vªh; LoPN xaxk fe'kuEmail: dg@nmcg.nic.in

2

NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGAReport from Headquarters

th28 Executive Committee Meeting, NMCG

The National Mission for Clean Ganga held the 28th meeting of Executive Committee on 12th May, 2020 under the chairmanship of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG. The meeting was attended by senior officers from Central Government Ministries, Niti Ayog, State Government agencies and senior management of NMCG. The Executive Committee took up important projects ranging from construction of STP and Industrial Effluent Treatment plants to development of Hilsa fish in river Ganga to water quality monitoring system for river Ganga.The Executive Committee of NMCG is an empowered committee to appraise and sanction projects upto Rs. 1000 crores and since March, 2017 has now held 28 meetings wherein about 170 projects have been sanctioned worth approximately Rs. 18,000 crores. The Executive Committee headed by DG-NMCG comprises of representatives of various Central Government Ministries, Departments, State authorities, Niti Ayog and others for ensuring multi-stakeholder engagement and smooth decision making for taking up projects for wholesome rejuvenation of river Ganga basin.

Projects Sanctioned in the 28th Meeting of Executive Committee, NMCG

Sl No. Description of the project Estimated cost (`)

Upgradat ion of 2.15 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant to 2.6 MLD with ZLD system located at Unnao Industrial Area, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh

1 `66.11 crore

Water Quality Monitoring System for River Ganga-CPCB Phase II for the period 2020-2026. (Project cost revised to `126.17 crore from ̀ 94.45 crore)

2 `31.72 crore

Pollution Abatement work for River Ganga in Maheshtala (Interception & Diversion with STP) in West Bengal.

3 `224.69 crore

4 `1.12 crore

‘In-principle’ approval to the project ‘Fish stock enhancement including Hilsa and livelihood improvement for sustainable fisheries and conservation in river Ganga.'

5

Development of Phase-2 of Ghat at Bhrigu Ashram at Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh.

Important Engagements in Headquarters

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Jal Shakti Minister held a virtual conferencing meeting with Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Chief Minister Uttarakhand and discussed various issues relating to Ganga Rejuvenation in Uttarakhand on 11th May, 2020 including preparations for Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2021.

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and other senior officers

held a virtually discussion on 1st May, 2020 with various

stakeholders of river Ganga on the project blended capacity

building.

5

NAMAMI GANGE – INTEGRATED MISSION TO REJUVENATE GANGA BASIN

Pollution Abatement 1 Ecology and Flow Improvement2 People-River Connect3 Ganga Knowledge

Centre4

313 Projects: `28,966 Crore

Improved soil health

Mitigating climate change

effects

Improvement in water

use efficiency

Increase in productivity boosting the

economy

Control in point source pollution to

improve river water quality

Balancing the ecological services

and maintaining agricultural habitats

Improved health of flora and fauna due

to less pollution and improved

flow

Sustainable and Eco-Agriculture to Rejuvenate River Ganga

4

• Integrated project for Medicinal Plantation – 10Districts, 180 Gram Panchayats, 60 clusters, 2500 Ha area for Rs. 35.46 Cr. in Uttar Pradesh

• NMPB to develop 800 Ha corridor of Medicinal Plantation along Ganga

• Special programme of organic farming on 5 Kms stretch along both sides of Ganga

• Rudraksh Plantation in Uttarakhand with INTACH

• Demand Side Management of water in Ganga Basin to increase Water Use Efficiency

Afforestation along Ganga on scientific plan of FRI for Natural urban & Agri-riverscape.

• Research and promotion of native fish species and improving their migration along the river with CIFRI

• Scientific habitat & species conservation with community participation by Wildlife Institute of India

Development of integrated management plan for conservation of wetlands along river Ganga

Sustainable Agriculture Afforestation

Biodiversity

Wetland Conservation

DG-NMCG chairing 28th EC meeting

Magazine Magazine

NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGAReport from Headquarters

th28 Executive Committee Meeting, NMCG

The National Mission for Clean Ganga held the 28th meeting of Executive Committee on 12th May, 2020 under the chairmanship of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG. The meeting was attended by senior officers from Central Government Ministries, Niti Ayog, State Government agencies and senior management of NMCG. The Executive Committee took up important projects ranging from construction of STP and Industrial Effluent Treatment plants to development of Hilsa fish in river Ganga to water quality monitoring system for river Ganga.The Executive Committee of NMCG is an empowered committee to appraise and sanction projects upto Rs. 1000 crores and since March, 2017 has now held 28 meetings wherein about 170 projects have been sanctioned worth approximately Rs. 18,000 crores. The Executive Committee headed by DG-NMCG comprises of representatives of various Central Government Ministries, Departments, State authorities, Niti Ayog and others for ensuring multi-stakeholder engagement and smooth decision making for taking up projects for wholesome rejuvenation of river Ganga basin.

Projects Sanctioned in the 28th Meeting of Executive Committee, NMCG

Sl No. Description of the project Estimated cost (`)

Upgradat ion of 2.15 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant to 2.6 MLD with ZLD system located at Unnao Industrial Area, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh

1 `66.11 crore

Water Quality Monitoring System for River Ganga-CPCB Phase II for the period 2020-2026. (Project cost revised to `126.17 crore from ̀ 94.45 crore)

2 `31.72 crore

Pollution Abatement work for River Ganga in Maheshtala (Interception & Diversion with STP) in West Bengal.

3 `224.69 crore

4 `1.12 crore

‘In-principle’ approval to the project ‘Fish stock enhancement including Hilsa and livelihood improvement for sustainable fisheries and conservation in river Ganga.'

5

Development of Phase-2 of Ghat at Bhrigu Ashram at Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh.

Important Engagements in Headquarters

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Jal Shakti Minister held a virtual conferencing meeting with Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Chief Minister Uttarakhand and discussed various issues relating to Ganga Rejuvenation in Uttarakhand on 11th May, 2020 including preparations for Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2021.

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and other senior officers

held a virtually discussion on 1st May, 2020 with various

stakeholders of river Ganga on the project blended capacity

building.

5

NAMAMI GANGE – INTEGRATED MISSION TO REJUVENATE GANGA BASIN

Pollution Abatement 1 Ecology and Flow Improvement2 People-River Connect3 Ganga Knowledge

Centre4

313 Projects: `28,966 Crore

Improved soil health

Mitigating climate change

effects

Improvement in water

use efficiency

Increase in productivity boosting the

economy

Control in point source pollution to

improve river water quality

Balancing the ecological services

and maintaining agricultural habitats

Improved health of flora and fauna due

to less pollution and improved

flow

Sustainable and Eco-Agriculture to Rejuvenate River Ganga

4

• Integrated project for Medicinal Plantation – 10Districts, 180 Gram Panchayats, 60 clusters, 2500 Ha area for Rs. 35.46 Cr. in Uttar Pradesh

• NMPB to develop 800 Ha corridor of Medicinal Plantation along Ganga

• Special programme of organic farming on 5 Kms stretch along both sides of Ganga

• Rudraksh Plantation in Uttarakhand with INTACH

• Demand Side Management of water in Ganga Basin to increase Water Use Efficiency

Afforestation along Ganga on scientific plan of FRI for Natural urban & Agri-riverscape.

• Research and promotion of native fish species and improving their migration along the river with CIFRI

• Scientific habitat & species conservation with community participation by Wildlife Institute of India

Development of integrated management plan for conservation of wetlands along river Ganga

Sustainable Agriculture Afforestation

Biodiversity

Wetland Conservation

DG-NMCG chairing 28th EC meeting

Magazine Magazine

NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGACelebrating Biological Diversity

World Turtle Day and International Day for Biological Diversity

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), along with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), its project partner in the ‘Biodiversity Conservation Initiative ’, celebrated World Turtle Day, the 23rd May 2020, through a Webinar which was widely attended. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General NMCG, Shri S.K. Ratho, Deputy Director General, NMCG, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. S.A. Hussain, Nodal Officer, NMCG-WII project, Dr. Ruchi Badola, Nodal Officer, NMCG-WII project, School children, NMCG and WII team members and Ganga Praharis from the five Ganga States and Ganga Prahari mentors participated in the online celebration.In his special message to the team on World Turtle Day, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti said, ‘Bio diversity is an essential part of Indian Culture and in fact, understanding the importance of Turtles, they have been worshipped in our culture from time immemorial’. He added ‘‘Turtles have been cleaning our water resources and they don’t charge us for doing that job. In order to conserve them and other wildlife, NMCG has taken up several initiatives including establishing conservation centers and creating public awareness about the subject."Welcoming the participants, Dr. S.A. Hussain talked about the importance of turtles in maintaining the river Eco-System. He said that we can make the people aware regarding this animal’s behaviour, habitat, reproductive process etc., so that the community itself comes forward to protect them. Dr. Sangeeta Angom announced the winners of the World Turtle Day painting, slogan writing and essay competitions, which were conducted using the online platform. Children from different parts of India and abroad participated in this online competition. On this occasion, a Children’s story book on turtles, “Bin Vetan ke Kare Safai” was released by the Hon’ble Minister Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. This book covers facts about turtles in an interesting story-telling manner. The Hon’ble Minister appreciated the innovatively written book which highlights the importance of turtles in maintaining the river ecosystem and appealed to all to contribute to conservation of turtles in our river systems.The Webinar also saw a poster story on Interesting Facts on Turtles for Children being played. This poster story presents some interesting facts about the turtles and different threats to them. A documentary on “Turtles of Ganga River Basin” was also show-cased for the participants This documentary is made to make people aware about various type of turtles found in the Ganga River.In his address, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG appreciated the efforts of WII and Ganga Praharis for their active participation in making people aware about conservation of Biodiversity. He also appealed to all to come forward and join hands for the conservation of turtles and the biodiversity of the river Ganga. Dr Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, talked about the significance of celebrating Turtle Day and the role of Ganga Praharis in their conservation.

Given that Biodiversity Conservation of the Ganga river basin is one of the pillars of the Namami Gange program, the ‘International Day of Biological Diversity’ held on 22nd May, was celebrated with great enthusiasm by NMCG and WII through a Webinar themed ‘Our Solutions are in Nature’. in order to increase public consciousness about its conservation. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG NMCG, the NMCG team as well as experts from various organisations including Dr. SA Hussain, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. Ruchi Badola from WII and Ganga Praharis participated in the event. Speaking during the celebrations, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, NMCG reiterated that, "Solutions are in Nature’ – during the lockdown, Ganga has shown that if rivers are not overloaded with pollution they can rejuvenate themselves." He added, "But to continue to keep the Ganga clean, we have to make collective efforts to support its rejuvenation. This is possible by making efforts to create better understanding and awareness about the connection between biodiversity and our survival. The conservation efforts have to become a Jan Aandolan." He added that the NMCG has received substantial success in cleaning the river. However, in order to ensure the sustainability of water quality, all of us need to make a conscious effort. Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil P Joshi appreciated the success of Ganga Praharis to further the awareness of biodiversity conservation in villages. He said, "More than 41% amphibian, 31% Coral and 33% fish species are now extinct. We have to take up biodiversity conservation as a very serious subject."Ganga Praharis from different parts of the country connected to this program and shared their experience of training in organic farming by WIII Dehradun and its positive financial and environmental consequences.

Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat releasing children's storybook on turtles 'Bin Vetan Ke Kare Safai'

DG-NMCG chairing the session on World Turtle Day

76

uekfe xaxs ifj;kstuk,a

paæs'oj uxj _f"kds'k ij 7-5 ,e,yMh ifj;kstuk dh >yd

okjk.klh esa jeuk ifj;kstuk ij dk;Z iqu% 'kq: gqvk

yDdj ?kV _f"kds'k ifj;kstuk ij dk;Z fd çxfr

dygk rkykc ¼dqaM ½ okjk.klh ij dk;Z çxfr ij

fcB~Bqj ds ?kkVksa ij LoNrk ,oe~ lQkbZ

Nijk esa ?kkV fuekZ.k ds dk;ksaZ dh çxfr

if'pe caxky esa ?kkV fuekZ.k ds dk;ksaZ dh çxfr

iz;kxjkt esa ?kkVksa dh lQkbZ ds –';

uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds varxZr xaxk iqu#)kj ,oe~ lQkbZ dh ifj;kstukvksa ij yxkrkj dk;Z py jgs gSaA tks ifj;kstuk,a lEiw.kZ gSa os ;Fkk iwoZd dk;Z dj jgh gSa vkSj ubZ ifj;kstukvksa ij fuekZ.k dk;Z 'kq: gks x, gSa vkSj vPNh çxfr dj jgs gSaA egkekjh ds pyrs cpko ds gj lHko mik; fd, tk jgs gSaA bl fjiksVZ esa fofHkUu {ks=ksa esa py jgh ifj;kstukvksa fd dqN >yfd;ka is'k dh tk jgh gSA

iVuk esa csÅj ij dk;Z dh çxfr

gfj}kj esa ?kkVksa dh lQkbZ

jkT;ksa ls çxfr fjiksVZ

The book on Turtles

Magazine

NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGACelebrating Biological Diversity

World Turtle Day and International Day for Biological Diversity

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), along with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), its project partner in the ‘Biodiversity Conservation Initiative ’, celebrated World Turtle Day, the 23rd May 2020, through a Webinar which was widely attended. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General NMCG, Shri S.K. Ratho, Deputy Director General, NMCG, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. S.A. Hussain, Nodal Officer, NMCG-WII project, Dr. Ruchi Badola, Nodal Officer, NMCG-WII project, School children, NMCG and WII team members and Ganga Praharis from the five Ganga States and Ganga Prahari mentors participated in the online celebration.In his special message to the team on World Turtle Day, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Union Minister of Jal Shakti said, ‘Bio diversity is an essential part of Indian Culture and in fact, understanding the importance of Turtles, they have been worshipped in our culture from time immemorial’. He added ‘‘Turtles have been cleaning our water resources and they don’t charge us for doing that job. In order to conserve them and other wildlife, NMCG has taken up several initiatives including establishing conservation centers and creating public awareness about the subject."Welcoming the participants, Dr. S.A. Hussain talked about the importance of turtles in maintaining the river Eco-System. He said that we can make the people aware regarding this animal’s behaviour, habitat, reproductive process etc., so that the community itself comes forward to protect them. Dr. Sangeeta Angom announced the winners of the World Turtle Day painting, slogan writing and essay competitions, which were conducted using the online platform. Children from different parts of India and abroad participated in this online competition. On this occasion, a Children’s story book on turtles, “Bin Vetan ke Kare Safai” was released by the Hon’ble Minister Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. This book covers facts about turtles in an interesting story-telling manner. The Hon’ble Minister appreciated the innovatively written book which highlights the importance of turtles in maintaining the river ecosystem and appealed to all to contribute to conservation of turtles in our river systems.The Webinar also saw a poster story on Interesting Facts on Turtles for Children being played. This poster story presents some interesting facts about the turtles and different threats to them. A documentary on “Turtles of Ganga River Basin” was also show-cased for the participants This documentary is made to make people aware about various type of turtles found in the Ganga River.In his address, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG appreciated the efforts of WII and Ganga Praharis for their active participation in making people aware about conservation of Biodiversity. He also appealed to all to come forward and join hands for the conservation of turtles and the biodiversity of the river Ganga. Dr Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, talked about the significance of celebrating Turtle Day and the role of Ganga Praharis in their conservation.

Given that Biodiversity Conservation of the Ganga river basin is one of the pillars of the Namami Gange program, the ‘International Day of Biological Diversity’ held on 22nd May, was celebrated with great enthusiasm by NMCG and WII through a Webinar themed ‘Our Solutions are in Nature’. in order to increase public consciousness about its conservation. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG NMCG, the NMCG team as well as experts from various organisations including Dr. SA Hussain, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. Ruchi Badola from WII and Ganga Praharis participated in the event. Speaking during the celebrations, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, NMCG reiterated that, "Solutions are in Nature’ – during the lockdown, Ganga has shown that if rivers are not overloaded with pollution they can rejuvenate themselves." He added, "But to continue to keep the Ganga clean, we have to make collective efforts to support its rejuvenation. This is possible by making efforts to create better understanding and awareness about the connection between biodiversity and our survival. The conservation efforts have to become a Jan Aandolan." He added that the NMCG has received substantial success in cleaning the river. However, in order to ensure the sustainability of water quality, all of us need to make a conscious effort. Padma Vibhushan Dr. Anil P Joshi appreciated the success of Ganga Praharis to further the awareness of biodiversity conservation in villages. He said, "More than 41% amphibian, 31% Coral and 33% fish species are now extinct. We have to take up biodiversity conservation as a very serious subject."Ganga Praharis from different parts of the country connected to this program and shared their experience of training in organic farming by WIII Dehradun and its positive financial and environmental consequences.

Hon'ble Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat releasing children's storybook on turtles 'Bin Vetan Ke Kare Safai'

DG-NMCG chairing the session on World Turtle Day

76

uekfe xaxs ifj;kstuk,a

paæs'oj uxj _f"kds'k ij 7-5 ,e,yMh ifj;kstuk dh >yd

okjk.klh esa jeuk ifj;kstuk ij dk;Z iqu% 'kq: gqvk

yDdj ?kV _f"kds'k ifj;kstuk ij dk;Z fd çxfr

dygk rkykc ¼dqaM ½ okjk.klh ij dk;Z çxfr ij

fcB~Bqj ds ?kkVksa ij LoNrk ,oe~ lQkbZ

Nijk esa ?kkV fuekZ.k ds dk;ksaZ dh çxfr

if'pe caxky esa ?kkV fuekZ.k ds dk;ksaZ dh çxfr

iz;kxjkt esa ?kkVksa dh lQkbZ ds –';

uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds varxZr xaxk iqu#)kj ,oe~ lQkbZ dh ifj;kstukvksa ij yxkrkj dk;Z py jgs gSaA tks ifj;kstuk,a lEiw.kZ gSa os ;Fkk iwoZd dk;Z dj jgh gSa vkSj ubZ ifj;kstukvksa ij fuekZ.k dk;Z 'kq: gks x, gSa vkSj vPNh çxfr dj jgs gSaA egkekjh ds pyrs cpko ds gj lHko mik; fd, tk jgs gSaA bl fjiksVZ esa fofHkUu {ks=ksa esa py jgh ifj;kstukvksa fd dqN >yfd;ka is'k dh tk jgh gSA

iVuk esa csÅj ij dk;Z dh çxfr

gfj}kj esa ?kkVksa dh lQkbZ

jkT;ksa ls çxfr fjiksVZ

The book on Turtles

Magazine

Map 1: Location Map of the sites in Uttarakhand

Sapling of Rudraksha with new leaves at Godli Sapling of Rudraksha with new leaves at Kalsir

Man working on the tree guard around the saplings at the Ati village

Protected saplings at Ati village Rain water harvesting pit (Prepared by local community)

for aiding in irrigation.

RUDRAKSH PLANTATION IN MID-HILLS OF UTTARAKHAND HIMALAYAS

98

BIOLOGICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF RIVER GANGA

It is revealed that there is improvement in biological water quality from moderate to good class at maximum number of (29 out of 41) locations during present investigation. These locations include Jagjeetpur up-stream; Sukartal; Anupshahar; Narora; Kachla Ghat; Ghatia Ghat, Farrukhabad; Kannauj; Kannauj down-stream; Bithoor; Kanpur up-stream; Asni Village Fatehpur; Sirsa; Prayagraj Bridge; GT Road, Prayagraj; Varanasi up-stream; Rajghat; Rajwari on Gomti; Patna, Digha ghat; Patna, Fatuha (Bihar); Patna Malsalami; Falgu River (WB); Falgu River; Murshidabad; Behrampore down-stream; Srirampore down-stream; Belgharia; Ballykhal,; Howrah Bridge; Garden Reach.

Saprobic Score values at various locations of River Ganga (2017-20)

Bio-monitoring of River Ganga

Monitoring of freshwater environments by adapting biological assessment approach along with physico-chemical analysis is perquisite for their sustainable management, conservation, rehabilitation and rejuvenation. Amongst others, bio-monitoring offers one of the excellent tools for biological water quality and ecological health assessment of fresh water resources. They offer remarkable insight into healthy freshwater ecosystems of River Ganga as biological parameters integrate information over longer periods of time and more precisely represent the responses of aquatic habitats.

Under Namami Gange programme, biological water quality is assessed using Bio-monitoring field protocol towards quantitative monitoring developed by Central Pollution Control Board. Community structure of the benthic macro-invertebrates of River Ganga and its tributaries reflects taxonomic richness with representative distributed taxa.

Under Namami Gange Programme, since 2014 onwards] bio-monitoring of River Ganga and its tributaries is being carried out on regular basis to know the spacio-temporal trends in biological water quality for better understanding of health of the river system. In total, 8 rounds of bio-monitoring along the entire course of River Ganga were carried out during 2014-2020.

The biological data is available for 93 unique locations of River Ganga covered so far. Based on comparative bio-assessment study of same period carried out at 41 locations and covered in eight rounds of bio-monitoring during 2014-2020, the spatio-temporal picture of biological water quality status of an entire river is depicted.

Through bio-monitoring protocols

Location of Khudaganj shows improvement in the water quality from moderate to clean class during 2014-2018. In Uttarakhand stretch, biological water quality at Haridwar Barrage (UK) recorded improvement from slight pollution or clean to very good class during 2014-2018. Towards post-monsoon 2018, the water quality at this location, however, fell to moderate class. Biological water quality of the river in Uttar Pradesh at Bijnour (UP); Varanasi down-stream and Bihar at Patna Gandhi Ghat remained moderate during 2014 onwards. However, some improvement up to clean class level was obtained during intermediate periods of investigation. Jagjeetpur down-stream is the exceptional location of River Ganga in Uttarakhand where biological water quality deteriorated from clean or slight pollution (2014-2015) to poor class (post monsoon 2018-2019) during present investigation. Decline in the biological water from clean to moderate class was observed in the Kanpur stretch of river at Shakula Ganj, Deorighat during 2014-2018.

As reflected from the above comparative analysis, improvement with respect to biological water quality of River Ganga has been found which indicates the river environment has tendency of enhancing its ecological health.

A CSR initiative Supported by HCL Foundation(A Report by INTACH, New Delhi)

Background of the Project

Progress of the project

Rudraksh is a sacred bead [Shiva’s tears]. It is held sacred amongst large sections of population in India and the beads are sought after for their medicinal and spiritual properties. The Rudraksha tree [Elaeocarpus spp.] has steadily diminished in numbers in India resulting in large imports of the bead from Nepal, Indonesia and Thailand.

Accordingly, a project to plant 10,000 Rudraksh saplings in the mid-Himalayas of Uttarakhand [Ganga basin] has been undertaken by NMCG with HCL as the CSR partner and INTACH as the executing agency.

While this is a form of catchment treatment, as the trees mature, the beads will provide supplemental income to the villages in whose Gram Sabha lands the plantation is undertaken. Hence, the project would promote community livelihood opportunities as well. To prevent monoculture, local trees such as banj [oak], khirsu, pangar have been interspersed.

The project is for 4 years duration. Sites are carefully identified with village panchayats, boundaries marked with brick masonary markers. Saplings are obtained from nurseries in Uttarakhand itself. The tree is a slow growing one with a very large canopy, hence, spacing is kept at 6-8m distance.

The project was taken up as a CSR initiative in 2019 as part of wholesome rejuvenation of Ganga basin and protection of environment. Rudraksha plantation was carried out at three different sites in Uttarakhand in Almora and Chamoli Taluk. 3000 saplings are being planted with the help of local communities and school children. Aftercare, watch and ward are being provided to ensure healthy growth of the trees.

By 30 June, 2020 a full complement of 3000 Rudraksh saplings will be planted with the help of local communities and school children [2400 already planted] and balance 600 will be completed by month end. District wise details of spalings planted are :

1. Planted 500 sapling in 2 Ha area in Kalsir Village, Chamoli

2. Planted 1000 sapling in Ati Village, Almora

3. Planted 200 sapling in Godli Village, Chamoli

4. Planted 700 sapling in Kimotha, Chamoli

Magazine Magazine

Benthic Macro-Iinvertebrate Biota of Ganga

Trichoptera (Potamidae)

Odonata (Libellulidae) Mollusca (Corbiculidae)

Crustacea (Palaemonidae)

Map 1: Location Map of the sites in Uttarakhand

Sapling of Rudraksha with new leaves at Godli Sapling of Rudraksha with new leaves at Kalsir

Man working on the tree guard around the saplings at the Ati village

Protected saplings at Ati village Rain water harvesting pit (Prepared by local community)

for aiding in irrigation.

RUDRAKSH PLANTATION IN MID-HILLS OF UTTARAKHAND HIMALAYAS

98

BIOLOGICAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF RIVER GANGA

It is revealed that there is improvement in biological water quality from moderate to good class at maximum number of (29 out of 41) locations during present investigation. These locations include Jagjeetpur up-stream; Sukartal; Anupshahar; Narora; Kachla Ghat; Ghatia Ghat, Farrukhabad; Kannauj; Kannauj down-stream; Bithoor; Kanpur up-stream; Asni Village Fatehpur; Sirsa; Prayagraj Bridge; GT Road, Prayagraj; Varanasi up-stream; Rajghat; Rajwari on Gomti; Patna, Digha ghat; Patna, Fatuha (Bihar); Patna Malsalami; Falgu River (WB); Falgu River; Murshidabad; Behrampore down-stream; Srirampore down-stream; Belgharia; Ballykhal,; Howrah Bridge; Garden Reach.

Saprobic Score values at various locations of River Ganga (2017-20)

Bio-monitoring of River Ganga

Monitoring of freshwater environments by adapting biological assessment approach along with physico-chemical analysis is perquisite for their sustainable management, conservation, rehabilitation and rejuvenation. Amongst others, bio-monitoring offers one of the excellent tools for biological water quality and ecological health assessment of fresh water resources. They offer remarkable insight into healthy freshwater ecosystems of River Ganga as biological parameters integrate information over longer periods of time and more precisely represent the responses of aquatic habitats.

Under Namami Gange programme, biological water quality is assessed using Bio-monitoring field protocol towards quantitative monitoring developed by Central Pollution Control Board. Community structure of the benthic macro-invertebrates of River Ganga and its tributaries reflects taxonomic richness with representative distributed taxa.

Under Namami Gange Programme, since 2014 onwards] bio-monitoring of River Ganga and its tributaries is being carried out on regular basis to know the spacio-temporal trends in biological water quality for better understanding of health of the river system. In total, 8 rounds of bio-monitoring along the entire course of River Ganga were carried out during 2014-2020.

The biological data is available for 93 unique locations of River Ganga covered so far. Based on comparative bio-assessment study of same period carried out at 41 locations and covered in eight rounds of bio-monitoring during 2014-2020, the spatio-temporal picture of biological water quality status of an entire river is depicted.

Through bio-monitoring protocols

Location of Khudaganj shows improvement in the water quality from moderate to clean class during 2014-2018. In Uttarakhand stretch, biological water quality at Haridwar Barrage (UK) recorded improvement from slight pollution or clean to very good class during 2014-2018. Towards post-monsoon 2018, the water quality at this location, however, fell to moderate class. Biological water quality of the river in Uttar Pradesh at Bijnour (UP); Varanasi down-stream and Bihar at Patna Gandhi Ghat remained moderate during 2014 onwards. However, some improvement up to clean class level was obtained during intermediate periods of investigation. Jagjeetpur down-stream is the exceptional location of River Ganga in Uttarakhand where biological water quality deteriorated from clean or slight pollution (2014-2015) to poor class (post monsoon 2018-2019) during present investigation. Decline in the biological water from clean to moderate class was observed in the Kanpur stretch of river at Shakula Ganj, Deorighat during 2014-2018.

As reflected from the above comparative analysis, improvement with respect to biological water quality of River Ganga has been found which indicates the river environment has tendency of enhancing its ecological health.

A CSR initiative Supported by HCL Foundation(A Report by INTACH, New Delhi)

Background of the Project

Progress of the project

Rudraksh is a sacred bead [Shiva’s tears]. It is held sacred amongst large sections of population in India and the beads are sought after for their medicinal and spiritual properties. The Rudraksha tree [Elaeocarpus spp.] has steadily diminished in numbers in India resulting in large imports of the bead from Nepal, Indonesia and Thailand.

Accordingly, a project to plant 10,000 Rudraksh saplings in the mid-Himalayas of Uttarakhand [Ganga basin] has been undertaken by NMCG with HCL as the CSR partner and INTACH as the executing agency.

While this is a form of catchment treatment, as the trees mature, the beads will provide supplemental income to the villages in whose Gram Sabha lands the plantation is undertaken. Hence, the project would promote community livelihood opportunities as well. To prevent monoculture, local trees such as banj [oak], khirsu, pangar have been interspersed.

The project is for 4 years duration. Sites are carefully identified with village panchayats, boundaries marked with brick masonary markers. Saplings are obtained from nurseries in Uttarakhand itself. The tree is a slow growing one with a very large canopy, hence, spacing is kept at 6-8m distance.

The project was taken up as a CSR initiative in 2019 as part of wholesome rejuvenation of Ganga basin and protection of environment. Rudraksha plantation was carried out at three different sites in Uttarakhand in Almora and Chamoli Taluk. 3000 saplings are being planted with the help of local communities and school children. Aftercare, watch and ward are being provided to ensure healthy growth of the trees.

By 30 June, 2020 a full complement of 3000 Rudraksh saplings will be planted with the help of local communities and school children [2400 already planted] and balance 600 will be completed by month end. District wise details of spalings planted are :

1. Planted 500 sapling in 2 Ha area in Kalsir Village, Chamoli

2. Planted 1000 sapling in Ati Village, Almora

3. Planted 200 sapling in Godli Village, Chamoli

4. Planted 700 sapling in Kimotha, Chamoli

Magazine Magazine

Benthic Macro-Iinvertebrate Biota of Ganga

Trichoptera (Potamidae)

Odonata (Libellulidae) Mollusca (Corbiculidae)

Crustacea (Palaemonidae)

On World Environment DayTHE GREAT GANGA QUEST - FINALE

Children participating in the Quest during the lockdown

While the country was facing up to the challenge of fighting Corona virus, another challenge was being taken up under the Namami Gange program to reach out to one and all and join them in the great learning marathon through an interesting quiz on Ganga. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) had been busy for more than a month in raising another awakening among people especially among children about Ganga, Rivers and Environment. Ganga Quest-2020, an innovative online quiz finally came to an end on 30th May 2020 after being live for more than a month. The quiz received an unprecedented response with more than 1 million participants registering well before its scheduled end. Not only did the participants got involved in the quiz rounds but even their family members, peers and others supported them in this exercise eventually spreading more knowledge on and about Ganga in the public domain. This quiz turned out to be one of the biggest People-River connect outreach activity and directly engaged with lakhs to bring them closer to the holy river Ganga.

Such interest in the quiz is indicative of the enthusiasm generated among citizens in general and children in particular about the various activities on Ganga Rejuvenation championed by Namami Gange program for last few years. The quiz was innovatively conceptualized and designed in partnership with TREE Craze Foundation (TCF), a not for profit organisation, working on rivers, environment and ecosystems. TCF had been in news in recent times for their program, ‘Meri Yamuna Mere Ghat’ that initiated collaborative efforts on regular clean-up of ghats of river Yamuna in Delhi NCR. TCF also initiated a program Sensitization and Thinking Enhancement for Environment and Rivers (STEER) where they conducted several awareness drives on water cycle and water footprint in Government Schools of Delhi and private schools of Delhi NCR.

It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction for NMCG that this year the Ganga Quest received an unprecedented response. More than 11 lakh participants registered till May 30, 2020, with the exact number of participants being 11, 52,407.

Besides enthusiastic participation from all the 5 basin states of the Ganga (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal), the Quiz also got very positive response from states outside Ganga basin as well, with participation from remote corners of the country, which included all States and Union Territories. More than 1 lakh schools participated in the quiz this year. It was a gigantic task to connect with their students throughout the country, especially due to the lockdown and encourage them to participate. The efforts put in by Chairman, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan and Chairman, Novodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in mobilizing the students and motivating the teachers to get the students to participate and also to participate on their

own, needs special mention. Likewise, the Education Departments in all the Ganga Basin states and other states also encouraged the children to take part in the quiz.

As a pilot, ten days before the closing date of the quiz, it was opened for participation from overseas also. Within a week the registration saw a huge jump and there was tremendous enthusiasm amongst the NRIs and other foreigners to take part in the Quiz. The international participation in the Ganga Quest saw participation from a number of countries like Saudi Arabia, USA, Nepal, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Nigeria, Australia and Singapore.

The winners of the quiz came from all parts of the country – with 2 winners in Top 3 for Grade I category from Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu; two winners in Top 3 category from Grade II and Grade III from Karnataka; an employee of International Tech Park Ltd, Bengaluru also came as a winner in Top 3 for Grade IV. An engineering student from Wardha district of Maharashtra was a top 3 winner in Grade IV and did not win alone in her family, 4 of her family members including her mother and brother also made to Top 25 winners.

Celebrating World Environment Day – 5th June 2020

1110

The Ganga quest – A People-River connect initiativeThe Great marathon on Ganga knowledge

Theme – Biodiversity Conservation

NMCG celebrated the World Environment day on 5th June 2020 which was presided over by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Honourable Minister of Jal Shakti in the gracious presence of Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, Honourable Minister of State, Jal Shakti and joined by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG. Shri U. P. Singh, Secretary DoWR, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti also joined the celebrations through virtual platform as did various other organizations, the participants from various parts of the country and the proud winners of the quest. The Honourable Jal Shakti Minister released the special posters on wetlands in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion and a film showing the Bal Ganga Praharis from across the world committing themselves to the cause of Clean and Green Ganga was also showcased. The Honourable Jal Shakti Minister also released a book prepared by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which provides a glimpse of the activities carried out under various components of the project “Biodiversity Conservation and Ganga Rejuvenation”

The conference was initiated with the Ganga Anthem, followed by the introductory remarks of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG who thanked the participants for their overwhelming response in the competition. Shri Mishra also appreciated the NMCG and Tree Craze Foundation teams for the massive effort involved in the seamless operation of the Ganga Quest 2020, which brought together over a million people from various parts of the world closer to the Ganga.

In his address, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Honourable Minister of Jal Shakti, talked at length about how the country was witnessing the progress towards a clean Ganga, owing to the initiatives of NMCG and the people of the country. He also commended the participants for utilising their time well by participating in the Ganga Quest during this lockdown. The aim of this Quest was to involve more and more people in the work of river rejuvenation by raising awareness. Shri Shekhawat said that the quiz was not only a test of their knowledge or an exercise in improving the knowledge and learnings about Ganga, but it also went much further in connecting participants and their families with the great national endeavor of rejuvenating Ganga.Congratulating the winners and participants, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, Honourable Minister of State, Jal Shakti expressed his happiness at the overwhelming response to the Quiz. Shri UP Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, said that sustainable development must be our mantra and we must strive to leave a better world for the coming generations.

The winners were announced in august presence of honourable Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The winners joined the video conference through webinar and the session was live telecasted on Facebook. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Honorable Minister of Jal Shakti, interacted with winners and later emphasized that this quiz is not to assess your knowledge but an effort to connect the citizens to river Ganga and its ecosystem. The Honourable Minister went on to mention that if one member of a family participated in the quiz, then not only that single person connected to river Ganga but their entire family got connected to river Ganga. He congratulated all the winners and thanked all the participants to connect to this cause of national importance.

Ganga Quest turned out to be a perfect example of multiple synergy which could not only connect citizens to the river but

also connected a number of like-minded institutions namely National Mission for Clean Ganga, TREE Craze Foundation, ESRI India, VA Tech Wabag and Toppr, a 360 degree learning platform to come forward in organising Ganga quest. Wildlife Institute of India, GIZ India, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Centre for Ganga River Basin Management Studies (cGanga), Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), IIT-Roorkee and others provided technical assistance.

Bhawna Badola, CEO, TREE Craze Foundation, announced the names of the winners and highlighted that the participation and winners were not only from almost all States and Union Territories of India but included international participants as well. The results of Ganga Quest showed that river Ganga is more than a flowing water body. Its cultural significance unites the whole country. River Ganga signifies one India and it binds together our rich diversity to one unity. This experience of Ganga Quest tells us that Ganga river rejuvenation programme is a way to bring India together for the protection of riverine ecosystem of whole country. The event ended with the Kartavaya Ganga Song, reminding the participants of the duty of each and every citizen to keep the Ganga clean and rejuvenated.

Magazine Magazine

The proud winners of the quest

On World Environment DayTHE GREAT GANGA QUEST - FINALE

Children participating in the Quest during the lockdown

While the country was facing up to the challenge of fighting Corona virus, another challenge was being taken up under the Namami Gange program to reach out to one and all and join them in the great learning marathon through an interesting quiz on Ganga. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) had been busy for more than a month in raising another awakening among people especially among children about Ganga, Rivers and Environment. Ganga Quest-2020, an innovative online quiz finally came to an end on 30th May 2020 after being live for more than a month. The quiz received an unprecedented response with more than 1 million participants registering well before its scheduled end. Not only did the participants got involved in the quiz rounds but even their family members, peers and others supported them in this exercise eventually spreading more knowledge on and about Ganga in the public domain. This quiz turned out to be one of the biggest People-River connect outreach activity and directly engaged with lakhs to bring them closer to the holy river Ganga.

Such interest in the quiz is indicative of the enthusiasm generated among citizens in general and children in particular about the various activities on Ganga Rejuvenation championed by Namami Gange program for last few years. The quiz was innovatively conceptualized and designed in partnership with TREE Craze Foundation (TCF), a not for profit organisation, working on rivers, environment and ecosystems. TCF had been in news in recent times for their program, ‘Meri Yamuna Mere Ghat’ that initiated collaborative efforts on regular clean-up of ghats of river Yamuna in Delhi NCR. TCF also initiated a program Sensitization and Thinking Enhancement for Environment and Rivers (STEER) where they conducted several awareness drives on water cycle and water footprint in Government Schools of Delhi and private schools of Delhi NCR.

It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction for NMCG that this year the Ganga Quest received an unprecedented response. More than 11 lakh participants registered till May 30, 2020, with the exact number of participants being 11, 52,407.

Besides enthusiastic participation from all the 5 basin states of the Ganga (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal), the Quiz also got very positive response from states outside Ganga basin as well, with participation from remote corners of the country, which included all States and Union Territories. More than 1 lakh schools participated in the quiz this year. It was a gigantic task to connect with their students throughout the country, especially due to the lockdown and encourage them to participate. The efforts put in by Chairman, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan and Chairman, Novodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in mobilizing the students and motivating the teachers to get the students to participate and also to participate on their

own, needs special mention. Likewise, the Education Departments in all the Ganga Basin states and other states also encouraged the children to take part in the quiz.

As a pilot, ten days before the closing date of the quiz, it was opened for participation from overseas also. Within a week the registration saw a huge jump and there was tremendous enthusiasm amongst the NRIs and other foreigners to take part in the Quiz. The international participation in the Ganga Quest saw participation from a number of countries like Saudi Arabia, USA, Nepal, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Nigeria, Australia and Singapore.

The winners of the quiz came from all parts of the country – with 2 winners in Top 3 for Grade I category from Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu; two winners in Top 3 category from Grade II and Grade III from Karnataka; an employee of International Tech Park Ltd, Bengaluru also came as a winner in Top 3 for Grade IV. An engineering student from Wardha district of Maharashtra was a top 3 winner in Grade IV and did not win alone in her family, 4 of her family members including her mother and brother also made to Top 25 winners.

Celebrating World Environment Day – 5th June 2020

1110

The Ganga quest – A People-River connect initiativeThe Great marathon on Ganga knowledge

Theme – Biodiversity Conservation

NMCG celebrated the World Environment day on 5th June 2020 which was presided over by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Honourable Minister of Jal Shakti in the gracious presence of Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, Honourable Minister of State, Jal Shakti and joined by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG. Shri U. P. Singh, Secretary DoWR, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti also joined the celebrations through virtual platform as did various other organizations, the participants from various parts of the country and the proud winners of the quest. The Honourable Jal Shakti Minister released the special posters on wetlands in Uttar Pradesh on the occasion and a film showing the Bal Ganga Praharis from across the world committing themselves to the cause of Clean and Green Ganga was also showcased. The Honourable Jal Shakti Minister also released a book prepared by Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which provides a glimpse of the activities carried out under various components of the project “Biodiversity Conservation and Ganga Rejuvenation”

The conference was initiated with the Ganga Anthem, followed by the introductory remarks of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG who thanked the participants for their overwhelming response in the competition. Shri Mishra also appreciated the NMCG and Tree Craze Foundation teams for the massive effort involved in the seamless operation of the Ganga Quest 2020, which brought together over a million people from various parts of the world closer to the Ganga.

In his address, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Honourable Minister of Jal Shakti, talked at length about how the country was witnessing the progress towards a clean Ganga, owing to the initiatives of NMCG and the people of the country. He also commended the participants for utilising their time well by participating in the Ganga Quest during this lockdown. The aim of this Quest was to involve more and more people in the work of river rejuvenation by raising awareness. Shri Shekhawat said that the quiz was not only a test of their knowledge or an exercise in improving the knowledge and learnings about Ganga, but it also went much further in connecting participants and their families with the great national endeavor of rejuvenating Ganga.Congratulating the winners and participants, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, Honourable Minister of State, Jal Shakti expressed his happiness at the overwhelming response to the Quiz. Shri UP Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, said that sustainable development must be our mantra and we must strive to leave a better world for the coming generations.

The winners were announced in august presence of honourable Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The winners joined the video conference through webinar and the session was live telecasted on Facebook. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Honorable Minister of Jal Shakti, interacted with winners and later emphasized that this quiz is not to assess your knowledge but an effort to connect the citizens to river Ganga and its ecosystem. The Honourable Minister went on to mention that if one member of a family participated in the quiz, then not only that single person connected to river Ganga but their entire family got connected to river Ganga. He congratulated all the winners and thanked all the participants to connect to this cause of national importance.

Ganga Quest turned out to be a perfect example of multiple synergy which could not only connect citizens to the river but

also connected a number of like-minded institutions namely National Mission for Clean Ganga, TREE Craze Foundation, ESRI India, VA Tech Wabag and Toppr, a 360 degree learning platform to come forward in organising Ganga quest. Wildlife Institute of India, GIZ India, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Centre for Ganga River Basin Management Studies (cGanga), Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), IIT-Roorkee and others provided technical assistance.

Bhawna Badola, CEO, TREE Craze Foundation, announced the names of the winners and highlighted that the participation and winners were not only from almost all States and Union Territories of India but included international participants as well. The results of Ganga Quest showed that river Ganga is more than a flowing water body. Its cultural significance unites the whole country. River Ganga signifies one India and it binds together our rich diversity to one unity. This experience of Ganga Quest tells us that Ganga river rejuvenation programme is a way to bring India together for the protection of riverine ecosystem of whole country. The event ended with the Kartavaya Ganga Song, reminding the participants of the duty of each and every citizen to keep the Ganga clean and rejuvenated.

Magazine Magazine

The proud winners of the quest

A mission for river rejuvenationThere are rivers, worldwide, longer than the Ganga, with larger flows. Yet none enjoys the reputation and aura of a river of mystic origins and unrivalled history as Ganga. The ancient references to the Ganga go back in time to prehistory and are chronicled well in the colonial literature of the 19th century also.

Ganga is mentioned in the Rig Veda [RV], earliest of the Hindu scriptures of unknown date. Ganga is mentioned in the nadistuti (Rigveda 10.75), which lists the rivers from east to west. RV 3.58.6 says that "your ancient home, your auspicious friendship, O Heroes, your wealth is on the banks of the Jahnavi [another name for Ganga]".

In Ramayana, Ganga is mentioned in 108 verses of Balakanda, 46 verses of Aryankanada, in 4 verses of Kishkinda kanda, 3 verses of Sundara kanda and 9 verses of Yuddha kanda. At Shringaverapur near Prayagraj, Nishada Kevat ferried Lord Rama across the Ganga. The place where Nishadraja washed Ram's feet has been marked by a platform named 'Ramchura'.

The story of the descent of the Ganga to earth is narrated in the Bhagwat Purana and the Mahabharat, in Adi Parva, which tells the story of Ganga giving birth to Bhishma also known as Gangaputra.

Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya [4th Century BC] noted that many rivers drained into Ganga. He measured its width as 30 stadia and noted that it emptied into the ocean that formed the eastern boundary of the nation of Gangaridai. His work, Indica, became the reference point for several geographers such as Strabo and Arrian.

Greek geographer Strabo writing in the wake of the Greek invasion of India mentions in his Geographica [7 BC] 'indeed it is sufficiently agreed that the Ganges is the largest of known rivers on the three continents'.

In the 'Annabasis Alexandrii' the historian Arrian writing in the 2nd century AD states ''all the many rivers in Asia even if united would not be fit to be compared in volume of water with an ordinary Indian river and much less with the greatest of them all, the Ganges, with which neither the Egyptian Nile nor the Danube which flows through Europe, can for a moment be compared”

Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese Budhist Monk was in India between 627-643 AD. He noted that the Ganga was known as the river of religious merit, which could wash away countless sins and death in the river and would result in freedom from the cycles of birth and death.

Banabhatta the court poet of Kannauj in 7th Century AD, a renowned litterateur of Sanskrit poetry and dramas, author of the romantic play Kadambari, describes the scenery, flora and fauna around the middle Ganga. “Flamingoes descend on the waters of the Ganga in such numbers that its entire surface turns white”.

Photos of Sparsh Ganga’s Contribution During Covid-19

10,000 Khadi ‘suraksha Kawach’ Given by Arushi Nishank to the Security Forces Serving at Borders

Sparsh Ganga Teams Stiched More than 20,000 Masks in Different Parts of India

Food provided by the Sparsh Ganga teams at Haridwar, Roorke, Varanasi, Delhi and different parts of India

During Covid-19 to help needy people

SPARSH GANGA GANGA KNOWLEDGE CENTRE – A SERIES

1312

Babur [1526-1530 AD], a keen observer of the natural sights of India, in his autobiography Babur Nama, describes islands with dense vegetation in the river, the Ganga being full of crocodiles, seeing soldiers being carried off by alligators and notes the blind Gangetic dolphins.

In Akbar Nama, Abul Fazl describes Akbar's fondness for Ganga water, which he called the 'water of immortality', and which is fetched for him from Haridwar no matter which part of the country he is in.

Approaching colonial times, the historical references become plentiful and only a few main ones are noted. Major RH Colebrooke observed the shift of the Ganga's course at Kahalgaon whereby the three rocks with temples, originally on dry land, are now islands in the river.

Capt. James Renell, basing his work on that of Father Tieffenthaler's map of 1767, brought out the first well surveyed map of the Ganga from Sunderban's to Haridwar. This extremely detailed work, known as 'The Bengal Atlas', also converted information on point to point transport charges prevalent then.

The Britishers described the fauna, flora and fishes of Ganga [Francis Hamilton's 'An Account of the Fishes in the Ganga and its Branches', (1822) and 'The Flora of The Upper Gangetic Region' by JF Duthie, (1903). There are books on game birds, observations of several travellers moving up the river by boat, on fairs and festivals, on customs and rituals and the architecture of cities and forts, drawings and paintings which convey the visual images of the time. CE Lockwood of the Bengal Civil Service described marshes along the river as having 100,000 ducks which completely hid the water below.

The source of the river was also a continuing mystery. Jesuit missionary, Father Andrade, disguised as a Hindu pilgrim, led an expedition to Tibet in 1624 “to the summit of the mountains, whence is born the river Ganges from a large pool.” The confusion as to the source of the river was finally set at rest when JB Fraser reached Gangotri in July, 1815. But it was Capt. JA Hodgson who actually reached Gaumukh on 31st May, 1817 and saluted the river by blowing a bugle. He measured the width of Gaumukh as 27' and the mean depth of the flow as 15 inches.

This in short chronicles the history of Ganga and there are numerous books and travelogues from the past which profusely salute the river Ganga and describe it as a cradle of civilization in the Indian context.

- Manu Bhatnagar

Principal Director, Natural Heritage Division

INTACH

The Ganga in HistorySparsh Ganga is a non-profitable initiative started in 2008 at Rishekesh, Uttrakhand with the motive of rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries by launching cleaning drives, beautifying its ghats, spreading awareness among school and college students to keep it clean and educating them about its cultural, historical and ecological significance. Massive plantation drives and organizing seminars and workshops on environmental awareness are other important activities taken up by Sparsh Ganga mission. Arushi Nishank, a classical Kathak dancer, film producer, a poetess and an environmentalist is the Chairperson of Sparsh Ganga.

Sparsh Ganga has a number of achievements to its credit in the last twelve years. Under the guidance of Arushi Nishank, various awakening programs like Sensitization Campaigns, Cyclothon from Rishikesh to Haridwar, Water Conservation & Yamuna River cleaning programs, etc. have been conducted with mass public support. Sparsh Ganga Prehri Maha Abhiyan has achieved recognition in Golden Book of Records for ‘largest signature drive for creating volunteers to keep river clean'. Sparsh Ganga teams have also participated in ‘Cleanathons’ conducted by National Mission for Clean Ganga on Yamuna Banks in Delhi and have been regularly participating in various activities and events organized under the Namami Gange program. It is a matter of pride that Sparsh Ganga is a family of more than 5 lakh Volunteers, mentors and team leaders all over the world.

Sparsh Ganga has successfully organized International Environment Summit – 2018 in association with Namami Gange and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India; International Women Empowerment Summit, 2019 in Association with UNICEF, Women and Child Ministry & Water and Sanitation Ministry of India. To showcase the cultural-social and economic significance of Indian rivers, Sparsh Ganga proposes to organize Yamuna Mahotsava in the year 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely hit India and the whole world. To fight the pandemic, the under privileged need to be given safety masks, sanitizers and other health-care facilities, which are beyond the reach of the common masses.

Sparsh Ganga team and its volunteers have been very active since January 2020 in spreading awareness to keep people safe from the Virus and helping the people by giving food, and health care and safety equipment like, handmade khadi masks, gloves, sanitizers etc. Sparsh Ganga teams have already stitched more than 20,000 khadi masks and distributed amongst needy people in different cities of India, especially in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun and Roorkee in Uttrakhand, Mandi in Himachal, Varanasi in UP and in many parts of Delhi. They also distributed food to more than 20,000 people. Every day, teams are distributing food to more than 1000 needy people in different parts of India. Sparsh Ganga volunteers are providing online counseling to the families affected by Corona virus and also guiding college students in their studies. Sparsh Ganga has also provided 11,000 hand-made Khadi masks called ‘Raksha Kawach’ to the soldiers serving at the borders.

Role of Sparsh Ganga during COVID-19

National Mission for clean Ganga, recognizes Sparsh Ganga as 'Ganga Saviors ' and their contribution in carrying out cleaning drives and especially public outreach programs to connect the people with Ganga and in sensitizing them to keep it clean and healthy.

Magazine Magazine

Abandoned Colonial Warehouse on the River, Mirzapur

Island Temple in Ganga at Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur

Gaumukh, 1863 [Samuel Borne Collection]

Barasingha in a Floodplain Wetland in Haridwar Distt.

Snow Bridges Across Ganga

Sacred Gerua Talab, Vindhyachal

Glimpses from across the Ganga

A mission for river rejuvenationThere are rivers, worldwide, longer than the Ganga, with larger flows. Yet none enjoys the reputation and aura of a river of mystic origins and unrivalled history as Ganga. The ancient references to the Ganga go back in time to prehistory and are chronicled well in the colonial literature of the 19th century also.

Ganga is mentioned in the Rig Veda [RV], earliest of the Hindu scriptures of unknown date. Ganga is mentioned in the nadistuti (Rigveda 10.75), which lists the rivers from east to west. RV 3.58.6 says that "your ancient home, your auspicious friendship, O Heroes, your wealth is on the banks of the Jahnavi [another name for Ganga]".

In Ramayana, Ganga is mentioned in 108 verses of Balakanda, 46 verses of Aryankanada, in 4 verses of Kishkinda kanda, 3 verses of Sundara kanda and 9 verses of Yuddha kanda. At Shringaverapur near Prayagraj, Nishada Kevat ferried Lord Rama across the Ganga. The place where Nishadraja washed Ram's feet has been marked by a platform named 'Ramchura'.

The story of the descent of the Ganga to earth is narrated in the Bhagwat Purana and the Mahabharat, in Adi Parva, which tells the story of Ganga giving birth to Bhishma also known as Gangaputra.

Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya [4th Century BC] noted that many rivers drained into Ganga. He measured its width as 30 stadia and noted that it emptied into the ocean that formed the eastern boundary of the nation of Gangaridai. His work, Indica, became the reference point for several geographers such as Strabo and Arrian.

Greek geographer Strabo writing in the wake of the Greek invasion of India mentions in his Geographica [7 BC] 'indeed it is sufficiently agreed that the Ganges is the largest of known rivers on the three continents'.

In the 'Annabasis Alexandrii' the historian Arrian writing in the 2nd century AD states ''all the many rivers in Asia even if united would not be fit to be compared in volume of water with an ordinary Indian river and much less with the greatest of them all, the Ganges, with which neither the Egyptian Nile nor the Danube which flows through Europe, can for a moment be compared”

Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese Budhist Monk was in India between 627-643 AD. He noted that the Ganga was known as the river of religious merit, which could wash away countless sins and death in the river and would result in freedom from the cycles of birth and death.

Banabhatta the court poet of Kannauj in 7th Century AD, a renowned litterateur of Sanskrit poetry and dramas, author of the romantic play Kadambari, describes the scenery, flora and fauna around the middle Ganga. “Flamingoes descend on the waters of the Ganga in such numbers that its entire surface turns white”.

Photos of Sparsh Ganga’s Contribution During Covid-19

10,000 Khadi ‘suraksha Kawach’ Given by Arushi Nishank to the Security Forces Serving at Borders

Sparsh Ganga Teams Stiched More than 20,000 Masks in Different Parts of India

Food provided by the Sparsh Ganga teams at Haridwar, Roorke, Varanasi, Delhi and different parts of India

During Covid-19 to help needy people

SPARSH GANGA GANGA KNOWLEDGE CENTRE – A SERIES

1312

Babur [1526-1530 AD], a keen observer of the natural sights of India, in his autobiography Babur Nama, describes islands with dense vegetation in the river, the Ganga being full of crocodiles, seeing soldiers being carried off by alligators and notes the blind Gangetic dolphins.

In Akbar Nama, Abul Fazl describes Akbar's fondness for Ganga water, which he called the 'water of immortality', and which is fetched for him from Haridwar no matter which part of the country he is in.

Approaching colonial times, the historical references become plentiful and only a few main ones are noted. Major RH Colebrooke observed the shift of the Ganga's course at Kahalgaon whereby the three rocks with temples, originally on dry land, are now islands in the river.

Capt. James Renell, basing his work on that of Father Tieffenthaler's map of 1767, brought out the first well surveyed map of the Ganga from Sunderban's to Haridwar. This extremely detailed work, known as 'The Bengal Atlas', also converted information on point to point transport charges prevalent then.

The Britishers described the fauna, flora and fishes of Ganga [Francis Hamilton's 'An Account of the Fishes in the Ganga and its Branches', (1822) and 'The Flora of The Upper Gangetic Region' by JF Duthie, (1903). There are books on game birds, observations of several travellers moving up the river by boat, on fairs and festivals, on customs and rituals and the architecture of cities and forts, drawings and paintings which convey the visual images of the time. CE Lockwood of the Bengal Civil Service described marshes along the river as having 100,000 ducks which completely hid the water below.

The source of the river was also a continuing mystery. Jesuit missionary, Father Andrade, disguised as a Hindu pilgrim, led an expedition to Tibet in 1624 “to the summit of the mountains, whence is born the river Ganges from a large pool.” The confusion as to the source of the river was finally set at rest when JB Fraser reached Gangotri in July, 1815. But it was Capt. JA Hodgson who actually reached Gaumukh on 31st May, 1817 and saluted the river by blowing a bugle. He measured the width of Gaumukh as 27' and the mean depth of the flow as 15 inches.

This in short chronicles the history of Ganga and there are numerous books and travelogues from the past which profusely salute the river Ganga and describe it as a cradle of civilization in the Indian context.

- Manu Bhatnagar

Principal Director, Natural Heritage Division

INTACH

The Ganga in HistorySparsh Ganga is a non-profitable initiative started in 2008 at Rishekesh, Uttrakhand with the motive of rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries by launching cleaning drives, beautifying its ghats, spreading awareness among school and college students to keep it clean and educating them about its cultural, historical and ecological significance. Massive plantation drives and organizing seminars and workshops on environmental awareness are other important activities taken up by Sparsh Ganga mission. Arushi Nishank, a classical Kathak dancer, film producer, a poetess and an environmentalist is the Chairperson of Sparsh Ganga.

Sparsh Ganga has a number of achievements to its credit in the last twelve years. Under the guidance of Arushi Nishank, various awakening programs like Sensitization Campaigns, Cyclothon from Rishikesh to Haridwar, Water Conservation & Yamuna River cleaning programs, etc. have been conducted with mass public support. Sparsh Ganga Prehri Maha Abhiyan has achieved recognition in Golden Book of Records for ‘largest signature drive for creating volunteers to keep river clean'. Sparsh Ganga teams have also participated in ‘Cleanathons’ conducted by National Mission for Clean Ganga on Yamuna Banks in Delhi and have been regularly participating in various activities and events organized under the Namami Gange program. It is a matter of pride that Sparsh Ganga is a family of more than 5 lakh Volunteers, mentors and team leaders all over the world.

Sparsh Ganga has successfully organized International Environment Summit – 2018 in association with Namami Gange and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India; International Women Empowerment Summit, 2019 in Association with UNICEF, Women and Child Ministry & Water and Sanitation Ministry of India. To showcase the cultural-social and economic significance of Indian rivers, Sparsh Ganga proposes to organize Yamuna Mahotsava in the year 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely hit India and the whole world. To fight the pandemic, the under privileged need to be given safety masks, sanitizers and other health-care facilities, which are beyond the reach of the common masses.

Sparsh Ganga team and its volunteers have been very active since January 2020 in spreading awareness to keep people safe from the Virus and helping the people by giving food, and health care and safety equipment like, handmade khadi masks, gloves, sanitizers etc. Sparsh Ganga teams have already stitched more than 20,000 khadi masks and distributed amongst needy people in different cities of India, especially in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun and Roorkee in Uttrakhand, Mandi in Himachal, Varanasi in UP and in many parts of Delhi. They also distributed food to more than 20,000 people. Every day, teams are distributing food to more than 1000 needy people in different parts of India. Sparsh Ganga volunteers are providing online counseling to the families affected by Corona virus and also guiding college students in their studies. Sparsh Ganga has also provided 11,000 hand-made Khadi masks called ‘Raksha Kawach’ to the soldiers serving at the borders.

Role of Sparsh Ganga during COVID-19

National Mission for clean Ganga, recognizes Sparsh Ganga as 'Ganga Saviors ' and their contribution in carrying out cleaning drives and especially public outreach programs to connect the people with Ganga and in sensitizing them to keep it clean and healthy.

Magazine Magazine

Abandoned Colonial Warehouse on the River, Mirzapur

Island Temple in Ganga at Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur

Gaumukh, 1863 [Samuel Borne Collection]

Barasingha in a Floodplain Wetland in Haridwar Distt.

Snow Bridges Across Ganga

Sacred Gerua Talab, Vindhyachal

Glimpses from across the Ganga

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR REJUVENATION OF GANGA BASIN

Urgent need to realise the economic potential of the river and the basin

Rajiv Ranjan Mishra is Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga

(NMCG) in the rank of Secretary. Mr Mishra is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Kanpur and has held

several important positions in Centre and state level with rich experience in areas such as river basin

management, irrigation, environment, water and sanitation, housing, urban development etc.

The Ganga basin, the largest river basin of India, covers a diverse landscape, reflecting the cultural and geographical diversity of the India and is also the food bowl of India. In 2018-19, nearly 40% of the GDP (at current prices) was attributed to the Ganga river basin.

Global studies and experiences indicate that health of the river in a country is a mirror-image of the economic condition of the vast population inhabiting the basin. Recognizing the significance and appreciating the national concern about environmental degradation of the river, Namami Gange Mission was launched as an integrated conservation program for Ganga and its tributaries. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The vision of rejuvenation of Ganga under Namami Gange is to restore its wholesomeness defined in terms of Nirmal Dhara (unpolluted flow) and Aviral Dhara (continuous flow), and recognition of the river as geological and ecological entity.

Sustainable Agriculture is very important for Ganga rejuvenation in ensuring Nirmalta as well as Aviralta. Developing sustainable agri-scapes in basin and improving water use efficiency are important steps taken up in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare along with promoting organic and natural farming in Ganga Grams.

Agri-scapes are extremely heterogeneous in the Ganga basin strategies for sustainable intensification of agriculture and comprising of cold Himalayan upper catchments, fertile alluvial improvement of rural livelihoods in the Ganges basin need to be plains, semi-arid central highlands and the fragile delta region. regionally differentiated for the upper catchments in the Nature of farming is different in different locations, for e.g. Himalayas, northern Gangetic plains, Central highlands and the farming at high altitude from where the Ganga river originates fragile Gangetic delta as outlined below. includes growing native millets or off-seasonal crops that will a) Mid and lower hill catchments: Rejuvenation of farmer-provide more economic benefits to the local communities. In managed irrigation systems, multiple use systems and revival case of villages located in Indo-Gangetic plains, different of water springs.cropping patterns are observed with considerable usage of b) Gangetic plains: Large scale adoption of resource chemical fertilizers and pesticides, particularly during the post conservation technologies and system of rice intensification green revolution era. Therefore, sustainable agricultural along with smart water solutions.practices aligned with the conservation goals are needed for

c) Central highlands: Decentralised rain water harvesting and better yield and productivity that contributes in making the development of low-cost irrigation infrastructure to meet economy robust. the critical needs of water.

In order to mitigate the above-mentioned negative impact of the d) Gangetic delta: Rice-based system intensification & conventional farming in the Ganga plains, NMCG is working

diversification through flood and salt tolerant varieties, closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare innovative homestead production for land less farmers and (MoA&FW) to promote organic farming on the banks of the intensification of coastal aquaculture for the poor farmers.Ganga in basin states and also to improve farming practices

These interventions need to be backed up and scaled up with including water use efficiency. suitable market & and credit support along with appropriate The activities envisaged under the project provide significant policy for agriculture and related sectors including energy and opportunities for promoting local entrepreneurship. The infrastructure.

Efforts to promote organic farming, water use efficiency

1514

Ghats on Ganga

Potential of the river and the basin habitats are threatened due to reduction in water flow, pollution and over exploitation of riverine resources. The restoration of the In the Ganga basin as a whole, rainfed agriculture is the most Ganga River and its key biodiversity, therefore, is one of the most extensive land use, covering 52% of the basin. Its water use is also important items on the agenda of Namami Gange. Project for correspondingly higher, an annual average of about 372,000 science-based aquatic species restoration of the Ganga River by million cubic metre (mcm), or 32% of the total water used. Water involving multiple stakeholders has been taken up by NMCG with remains the principal driver and also the major constraint for Wildlife Institute of India. Ganga has rich varieties of fishes and agriculture. Awareness and information dissemination on under Namami Gange, we have taken up a project with Central rainwater harvesting, less water intensive crops, climate smart Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore for agricultural practices, water saving farming techniques, organic research and promotion of native fish species and improving their farming can be helpful. With high anthropogenic pressure on migration along the river. Projects for wetland conservation and water resources, it is imperative to focus on water conservation spring rejuvenation have also been started under Namami Gange.and use of water resources efficiently and effectively. PM Krishi To sustainably improve the health of the river and the basin, we Sinchai Yojana, Campaigns like Per drop more crop and Jal Shakti must strive to substantially improve the economic condition of the Abhiyan can be of great help.vast population of the farmers and agricultural labourers, industrial Irrigation sector has been struggling with low water use efficiency workers, artisans and others in the basin. There is an urgent need to and poor standards of management and maintenance of realise the economic potential of the river and the basin while infrastructure. Main causes of low irrigation efficiency, less than preserving the spiritual and cultural values of Ganga and its entire 40%, can be attributed to the deficiencies in water delivery ecosystem and the landscape. The basin has all the basic resources system, losses during conveyance and distribution, inequitable to transform these into very productive and vibrant agriscapes for and untimely delivery of water, poor on-farm development, the vast millions of people here. inappropriate methods of field application, lack of drainage etc. The National Ganga Council (NGC) emphasised on sustainable Any saving in water use in the irrigation sector releases substantial agriculture in the Ganga Basin by promoting organic clusters in a 5-7 quantity of water for irrigating rain fed croplands or for meeting km stretch on both sides of the Ganga Basin, where riverbed farming the environmental flow needs of the river. Even 5 to 10 percent should be restricted to organic farming only. It was also decided that improvement in water use efficiency can contribute substantially farmers along Ganga River should be encouraged to take up in ensuring aviral Ganga by making more water available for self-sustainable agriculture practices including Zero Budget Farming. cleansing and rejuvenation of river. They need to be suitably trained in these eco-friendly agricultural The Ganga River harbours important aquatic fauna such as the practices. The Chairman, National Ganga Council has also Gangetic river dolphin, gharial, otters, turtles and several aquatic envisioned the idea of Arth Ganga to play a key role in future. and terrestrial birds. The aquatic wildlife of the Ganga and their

Magazine Magazine

DG-NMCG Article in Agriculture today - May 2020 - Water Conservation in Agriculture

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FOR REJUVENATION OF GANGA BASIN

Urgent need to realise the economic potential of the river and the basin

Rajiv Ranjan Mishra is Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga

(NMCG) in the rank of Secretary. Mr Mishra is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Kanpur and has held

several important positions in Centre and state level with rich experience in areas such as river basin

management, irrigation, environment, water and sanitation, housing, urban development etc.

The Ganga basin, the largest river basin of India, covers a diverse landscape, reflecting the cultural and geographical diversity of the India and is also the food bowl of India. In 2018-19, nearly 40% of the GDP (at current prices) was attributed to the Ganga river basin.

Global studies and experiences indicate that health of the river in a country is a mirror-image of the economic condition of the vast population inhabiting the basin. Recognizing the significance and appreciating the national concern about environmental degradation of the river, Namami Gange Mission was launched as an integrated conservation program for Ganga and its tributaries. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The vision of rejuvenation of Ganga under Namami Gange is to restore its wholesomeness defined in terms of Nirmal Dhara (unpolluted flow) and Aviral Dhara (continuous flow), and recognition of the river as geological and ecological entity.

Sustainable Agriculture is very important for Ganga rejuvenation in ensuring Nirmalta as well as Aviralta. Developing sustainable agri-scapes in basin and improving water use efficiency are important steps taken up in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare along with promoting organic and natural farming in Ganga Grams.

Agri-scapes are extremely heterogeneous in the Ganga basin strategies for sustainable intensification of agriculture and comprising of cold Himalayan upper catchments, fertile alluvial improvement of rural livelihoods in the Ganges basin need to be plains, semi-arid central highlands and the fragile delta region. regionally differentiated for the upper catchments in the Nature of farming is different in different locations, for e.g. Himalayas, northern Gangetic plains, Central highlands and the farming at high altitude from where the Ganga river originates fragile Gangetic delta as outlined below. includes growing native millets or off-seasonal crops that will a) Mid and lower hill catchments: Rejuvenation of farmer-provide more economic benefits to the local communities. In managed irrigation systems, multiple use systems and revival case of villages located in Indo-Gangetic plains, different of water springs.cropping patterns are observed with considerable usage of b) Gangetic plains: Large scale adoption of resource chemical fertilizers and pesticides, particularly during the post conservation technologies and system of rice intensification green revolution era. Therefore, sustainable agricultural along with smart water solutions.practices aligned with the conservation goals are needed for

c) Central highlands: Decentralised rain water harvesting and better yield and productivity that contributes in making the development of low-cost irrigation infrastructure to meet economy robust. the critical needs of water.

In order to mitigate the above-mentioned negative impact of the d) Gangetic delta: Rice-based system intensification & conventional farming in the Ganga plains, NMCG is working

diversification through flood and salt tolerant varieties, closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare innovative homestead production for land less farmers and (MoA&FW) to promote organic farming on the banks of the intensification of coastal aquaculture for the poor farmers.Ganga in basin states and also to improve farming practices

These interventions need to be backed up and scaled up with including water use efficiency. suitable market & and credit support along with appropriate The activities envisaged under the project provide significant policy for agriculture and related sectors including energy and opportunities for promoting local entrepreneurship. The infrastructure.

Efforts to promote organic farming, water use efficiency

1514

Ghats on Ganga

Potential of the river and the basin habitats are threatened due to reduction in water flow, pollution and over exploitation of riverine resources. The restoration of the In the Ganga basin as a whole, rainfed agriculture is the most Ganga River and its key biodiversity, therefore, is one of the most extensive land use, covering 52% of the basin. Its water use is also important items on the agenda of Namami Gange. Project for correspondingly higher, an annual average of about 372,000 science-based aquatic species restoration of the Ganga River by million cubic metre (mcm), or 32% of the total water used. Water involving multiple stakeholders has been taken up by NMCG with remains the principal driver and also the major constraint for Wildlife Institute of India. Ganga has rich varieties of fishes and agriculture. Awareness and information dissemination on under Namami Gange, we have taken up a project with Central rainwater harvesting, less water intensive crops, climate smart Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore for agricultural practices, water saving farming techniques, organic research and promotion of native fish species and improving their farming can be helpful. With high anthropogenic pressure on migration along the river. Projects for wetland conservation and water resources, it is imperative to focus on water conservation spring rejuvenation have also been started under Namami Gange.and use of water resources efficiently and effectively. PM Krishi To sustainably improve the health of the river and the basin, we Sinchai Yojana, Campaigns like Per drop more crop and Jal Shakti must strive to substantially improve the economic condition of the Abhiyan can be of great help.vast population of the farmers and agricultural labourers, industrial Irrigation sector has been struggling with low water use efficiency workers, artisans and others in the basin. There is an urgent need to and poor standards of management and maintenance of realise the economic potential of the river and the basin while infrastructure. Main causes of low irrigation efficiency, less than preserving the spiritual and cultural values of Ganga and its entire 40%, can be attributed to the deficiencies in water delivery ecosystem and the landscape. The basin has all the basic resources system, losses during conveyance and distribution, inequitable to transform these into very productive and vibrant agriscapes for and untimely delivery of water, poor on-farm development, the vast millions of people here. inappropriate methods of field application, lack of drainage etc. The National Ganga Council (NGC) emphasised on sustainable Any saving in water use in the irrigation sector releases substantial agriculture in the Ganga Basin by promoting organic clusters in a 5-7 quantity of water for irrigating rain fed croplands or for meeting km stretch on both sides of the Ganga Basin, where riverbed farming the environmental flow needs of the river. Even 5 to 10 percent should be restricted to organic farming only. It was also decided that improvement in water use efficiency can contribute substantially farmers along Ganga River should be encouraged to take up in ensuring aviral Ganga by making more water available for self-sustainable agriculture practices including Zero Budget Farming. cleansing and rejuvenation of river. They need to be suitably trained in these eco-friendly agricultural The Ganga River harbours important aquatic fauna such as the practices. The Chairman, National Ganga Council has also Gangetic river dolphin, gharial, otters, turtles and several aquatic envisioned the idea of Arth Ganga to play a key role in future. and terrestrial birds. The aquatic wildlife of the Ganga and their

Magazine Magazine

DG-NMCG Article in Agriculture today - May 2020 - Water Conservation in Agriculture

Through WebinarsMULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS

On 1st May 2020, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs, NIUA, (an autonomous body under India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs) organized an Ideathon on “The Future of River Management”. The purpose of this Ideathon was to use the current COVID-19 crisis as a backdrop to brainstorm on the river management lessons that the crisis has taught us and the strategies that river management in the future should focus on. The Ideathon was part of a project that NMCG and NIUA are carrying out that seeks to promulgate river-sensitive development in our cities. The Ideathon featured short talks by eminent experts from around the world under five different themes. It also attempted to capture the audience perspective on some pertinent river management issues through audience polls conducted at regular intervals. Besides Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, NMCG, who chaired the meeting, the participants included international experts, viz., Mr. Michael Affeldt Director, Los Angeles River works, Office of Mayor Garceti, USA, Dr. Peter King Senior, Policy Advisor, Institute for Global Environment Strategies, Thailand, Dr. Chris Dickens Principal Researcher (Ecosystems) and others.

On 22nd May, 2020 Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG joined as a panelist in a Webinar on “Policy Dialogue - Counter Measures for Riverine and Plastic Litter” organized by National Productivity Council, as a part of the UNEP project on “Promotion of Counter Measures against Marine Plastic Litter in South East Asia and India. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG explained the initiatives taken by NMCG for Solid Waste Management in Ganga Towns, strict implementation of plastic ban to prevent flowing of plastics into the river, direction given to ULBs to prevent dumping of solid waste in drains with special attention on 1 km stretch from river and ensuring that no garbage dumped in the flood plains and also efforts taken by NMCG for improving community outreach through development of Ganga Vichar Manch, Ganga Praharis, NYKS Ganga Doots, Ganga Mitras, Ganga Task Force with ex-serviceman to create awareness among people residing along the Ganga.

On 19th May 2020, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG participated in the Webinar – Singapore Water Series- designed to engage with stakeholders on topical water issues, which also had participation from the World Bank. The focus of the Singapore Water Series this year was – Revitalizing the Lifeline: Ins and Outs of River Cleanup and Restoration. The discussions were aimed at integrated approach to water pollution reduction and river cleanup (planning, implementation, O&M, citizen management) related policy and financing. DG-NMCG addressed the participants and gave an overview of the Ganga rejuvenation programme of NMCG and experiences of India.

As a part of the TERI Webinar Series on “Greening Post COVID 19 Economic Recovery in India”, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG delivered a Talk on “Environment and Public Health” on 29th May, 2020, covering issues related to linkages between environmental quality and COVID-19, Vulnerability; Lessons for long-term sustainability, waste management, health infrastructure; Mitigation of zoonotic diseases through planetary health and preservation of ecosystems; Role of traditional knowledge and medicine in the present pandemic situation.

1716

A successful negotiation meeting was held on 29th May, 2020 between Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, World Bank and NMCG on the proposal of Second National Ganga River Basin Project to be finance by World Bank for an amount of US$ 400 million. Later, the minutes of the negotiation were singed by Shri Hanish Chhabra, Dy. Secretary, DEA, Shri A. K. Patro, Dy. Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Miss Upneet Singh, Co-Task team leader World Bank. The meeting took place at World Bank office in New Delhi.

Webinars – Trending virtual platforms

The Webinars have become new normal way of meetings and seminars specially due to the current situation prevailing around the world. These virtual platforms are able to connect various eminent personalities, experts and stakeholders from across the globe at one platform for discussion on various important agenda. The National Mission for Clean Ganga has also made use of these Webinars and has participated in these virtual meetings with experts from fields of environment, water rejuvenation and river restoration in the recent past. Some new ideas and visions have emerged out of these Webinars, which will help the mission in taking forward the Ganga rejuvenation work more effectively.

Important Events & EngagementNATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGA

Magazine Magazine

The Ganga Doots of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan (NYKS) have been partnering with Namami Ganga Program for outreach activities. During the month of June, various plantation activities were undertaken in villages of Uttar Pradesh where a large number of youth participated and planted trees and medicinal plants. The Youth volunteers also took up various public education activities for ensuring safety in the wake of Covid - 19.

On the occasion of Ganga Dusshera on 1st June 2020, volunteers and Ganga Doots of NYKS educated people in Vaishali district in Bihar to maintain cleanliness along Ganga Ghats and also on protections from Corona virus. Similarly, Ghat cleaning activities were taken up by Ganga Vichar Manch in Sahibganj on the occasion of Ganga Dusshera in Jharkhand.

The 16th Edition of Namami Gange Magazine was released by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon'ble Jal Shakti Minister on 4th June, 2020 along with Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and other members of the Editorial Board of NMCG. The 16th Edition showcases various activities and projects taken up under Namami Gange in the past months.

A video conference meeting was held on the occasion of International Day for Biological diversity on 22nd May, 2020 which was chaired by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and was attended by Padama-Vibhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. S.A. Hussain and Dr. Ruchi Badola from WII along with a number of Ganga Praharis.

Through WebinarsMULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS

On 1st May 2020, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs, NIUA, (an autonomous body under India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs) organized an Ideathon on “The Future of River Management”. The purpose of this Ideathon was to use the current COVID-19 crisis as a backdrop to brainstorm on the river management lessons that the crisis has taught us and the strategies that river management in the future should focus on. The Ideathon was part of a project that NMCG and NIUA are carrying out that seeks to promulgate river-sensitive development in our cities. The Ideathon featured short talks by eminent experts from around the world under five different themes. It also attempted to capture the audience perspective on some pertinent river management issues through audience polls conducted at regular intervals. Besides Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, NMCG, who chaired the meeting, the participants included international experts, viz., Mr. Michael Affeldt Director, Los Angeles River works, Office of Mayor Garceti, USA, Dr. Peter King Senior, Policy Advisor, Institute for Global Environment Strategies, Thailand, Dr. Chris Dickens Principal Researcher (Ecosystems) and others.

On 22nd May, 2020 Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG joined as a panelist in a Webinar on “Policy Dialogue - Counter Measures for Riverine and Plastic Litter” organized by National Productivity Council, as a part of the UNEP project on “Promotion of Counter Measures against Marine Plastic Litter in South East Asia and India. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG explained the initiatives taken by NMCG for Solid Waste Management in Ganga Towns, strict implementation of plastic ban to prevent flowing of plastics into the river, direction given to ULBs to prevent dumping of solid waste in drains with special attention on 1 km stretch from river and ensuring that no garbage dumped in the flood plains and also efforts taken by NMCG for improving community outreach through development of Ganga Vichar Manch, Ganga Praharis, NYKS Ganga Doots, Ganga Mitras, Ganga Task Force with ex-serviceman to create awareness among people residing along the Ganga.

On 19th May 2020, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG participated in the Webinar – Singapore Water Series- designed to engage with stakeholders on topical water issues, which also had participation from the World Bank. The focus of the Singapore Water Series this year was – Revitalizing the Lifeline: Ins and Outs of River Cleanup and Restoration. The discussions were aimed at integrated approach to water pollution reduction and river cleanup (planning, implementation, O&M, citizen management) related policy and financing. DG-NMCG addressed the participants and gave an overview of the Ganga rejuvenation programme of NMCG and experiences of India.

As a part of the TERI Webinar Series on “Greening Post COVID 19 Economic Recovery in India”, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG delivered a Talk on “Environment and Public Health” on 29th May, 2020, covering issues related to linkages between environmental quality and COVID-19, Vulnerability; Lessons for long-term sustainability, waste management, health infrastructure; Mitigation of zoonotic diseases through planetary health and preservation of ecosystems; Role of traditional knowledge and medicine in the present pandemic situation.

1716

A successful negotiation meeting was held on 29th May, 2020 between Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, World Bank and NMCG on the proposal of Second National Ganga River Basin Project to be finance by World Bank for an amount of US$ 400 million. Later, the minutes of the negotiation were singed by Shri Hanish Chhabra, Dy. Secretary, DEA, Shri A. K. Patro, Dy. Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Miss Upneet Singh, Co-Task team leader World Bank. The meeting took place at World Bank office in New Delhi.

Webinars – Trending virtual platforms

The Webinars have become new normal way of meetings and seminars specially due to the current situation prevailing around the world. These virtual platforms are able to connect various eminent personalities, experts and stakeholders from across the globe at one platform for discussion on various important agenda. The National Mission for Clean Ganga has also made use of these Webinars and has participated in these virtual meetings with experts from fields of environment, water rejuvenation and river restoration in the recent past. Some new ideas and visions have emerged out of these Webinars, which will help the mission in taking forward the Ganga rejuvenation work more effectively.

Important Events & EngagementNATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGA

Magazine Magazine

The Ganga Doots of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan (NYKS) have been partnering with Namami Ganga Program for outreach activities. During the month of June, various plantation activities were undertaken in villages of Uttar Pradesh where a large number of youth participated and planted trees and medicinal plants. The Youth volunteers also took up various public education activities for ensuring safety in the wake of Covid - 19.

On the occasion of Ganga Dusshera on 1st June 2020, volunteers and Ganga Doots of NYKS educated people in Vaishali district in Bihar to maintain cleanliness along Ganga Ghats and also on protections from Corona virus. Similarly, Ghat cleaning activities were taken up by Ganga Vichar Manch in Sahibganj on the occasion of Ganga Dusshera in Jharkhand.

The 16th Edition of Namami Gange Magazine was released by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon'ble Jal Shakti Minister on 4th June, 2020 along with Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and other members of the Editorial Board of NMCG. The 16th Edition showcases various activities and projects taken up under Namami Gange in the past months.

A video conference meeting was held on the occasion of International Day for Biological diversity on 22nd May, 2020 which was chaired by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG-NMCG and was attended by Padama-Vibhushan Dr. Anil P. Joshi, Dr. Dhananjai Mohan, Director WII, Dr. S.A. Hussain and Dr. Ruchi Badola from WII along with a number of Ganga Praharis.

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020

18

21 twu] 2020 dks NBok¡ fo'o ;ksx fnol euk;k x;kA bl o"kZ ekuuh; ç/kkauea=h th us fo'o ;ksx fnol eukus ds fy;s fo'o dks ,d u;k ukjk fn;k ÞYoga at Home : Yoga with Familyß vkSj bls dksjksuk egkekjh ds pyrs lkekftd nwjh cuk, j[kus ds lkFk&lkFk euk;s tkus dk vkg~okgu fd;kA uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds varxZr ofj"B vf/kdkfj;ksa ,ao jk"Vªh; LopN xaxk fe'ku ds fgr /kkjdks nkjk fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 vR;ar mRlkg ,ao mYykl ds lkFk euk;k x;kA fo'o ;ksx fnol ds dk;ZØe mÙkjk[k.M ls fcgkj rd dbZ txg ns[kus dks feys vkSj blesa usg# ;qok dsaæ lxaBu] chabx HkkxhjFk ,ao Li'kZ xaxk ds dk;Zdjrkvksa us c<+&p<+ dj ;ksx vklu fd;s vkSj tu&tkxj.k ds dk;ZØe fd;sA

ekuuh; Jh ;w-ih- flag] lfpo] ty lalk/ku] unh fodkl ,ao xaxk laj{k.k foHkkx] ty 'kfä ea=ky; nkjk ;ksx vH;kl fd igy

fo'o ;ksx fnol dh >yfd;ka

usg# ;qok dsaæ lxaBu ds nkjk fd,s x,s fo'o ;ksx fnol ds dk;ZØe

chabx HkkxhjFk laLFkku nkjk mÙkjk[k.M esa tksj&'kksj ls ;ksx vH;kl dh >yfd;k¡

Li'kZ xaxk ds dk;ZdrkZvksa nkjk fofHkUu LFkyksa ij fd,s x,s ;ksx vH;kl ds –';

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 ij fofHkUu fgr /kkjdksa ds ;ksx vH;kl ij v[kckjksa esa lqf[kZ;k¡

RUDDY SHELDUCK

-A Series

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is widely distributed in Europe, Asia including the Indian subcontinent and Western

Africa. The bird is an early winter migrant in India and arrives by October and departs by April. The species is known for its

extreme high-altitude flight at 6800 m during migration over the Himalayas. It is distributed in the middle and lower

stretches of the Ganga River. The species occurs in inland freshwater and brackish water lakes and rivers. In the non-

breeding season, it prefers streams, rivers, freshwater pools, flooded grasslands, and marshes. It avoids coastal waters

and tall, dense vegetation or emergent and floating aquatic plants.

The adult birds are 58 to 70 cm in length, male has orange-brown body plumage and a paler, orange-brown head and

neck. The inner surfaces of the wings have iridescent green speculum feathers. The bill is black and the legs are dark

grey. Females are paler. It breeds during April and early June in high altitude lakes and swamps in Jammu and Kashmir.

It nests in a hole or cavity, from ground level upward into trees and cliffs with a clutch size of 6-12. The species is

nocturnal, omnivorous and feeds on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates exercising a top-down control in the food

chain. It also feeds on grasses, shoots of plants, grains and water plants helping in seed dispersal and control of

vegetation.

The loss and degradation of inland wetlands due to agricultural drainage and wastewater discharge, urban

development, xenobiotic compounds, introduction of exotic fish and overgrazing are major issues affecting the

species. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza.

SCIENTIFIC NAME Tadorna

ferruginea

OCCURRENCE Europe and Asian

countries including Indian Subcontinent

and West Africa

IUCN RED LIST Least Concern

Indian

INDIAN WILD LIFE

(PROTECTION) ACT, 1972Schedule IV

BIOGEOGRAPHIC PROVINCES

West Himalaya (2B), Upper & Lower Gangetic Plains

(7A & 7B)

IMPORTANT AREAS ALONG THE

GANGA RIVER Throughout the

upper and middle stretches of the river

upto Barrackpore

IUCN RED LIST Least Concern

Indian

Species Richness in Ganga

19

Magazine

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020

18

21 twu] 2020 dks NBok¡ fo'o ;ksx fnol euk;k x;kA bl o"kZ ekuuh; ç/kkauea=h th us fo'o ;ksx fnol eukus ds fy;s fo'o dks ,d u;k ukjk fn;k ÞYoga at Home : Yoga with Familyß vkSj bls dksjksuk egkekjh ds pyrs lkekftd nwjh cuk, j[kus ds lkFk&lkFk euk;s tkus dk vkg~okgu fd;kA uekfe xaxs dk;ZØe ds varxZr ofj"B vf/kdkfj;ksa ,ao jk"Vªh; LopN xaxk fe'ku ds fgr /kkjdks nkjk fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 vR;ar mRlkg ,ao mYykl ds lkFk euk;k x;kA fo'o ;ksx fnol ds dk;ZØe mÙkjk[k.M ls fcgkj rd dbZ txg ns[kus dks feys vkSj blesa usg# ;qok dsaæ lxaBu] chabx HkkxhjFk ,ao Li'kZ xaxk ds dk;Zdjrkvksa us c<+&p<+ dj ;ksx vklu fd;s vkSj tu&tkxj.k ds dk;ZØe fd;sA

ekuuh; Jh ;w-ih- flag] lfpo] ty lalk/ku] unh fodkl ,ao xaxk laj{k.k foHkkx] ty 'kfä ea=ky; nkjk ;ksx vH;kl fd igy

fo'o ;ksx fnol dh >yfd;ka

usg# ;qok dsaæ lxaBu ds nkjk fd,s x,s fo'o ;ksx fnol ds dk;ZØe

chabx HkkxhjFk laLFkku nkjk mÙkjk[k.M esa tksj&'kksj ls ;ksx vH;kl dh >yfd;k¡

Li'kZ xaxk ds dk;ZdrkZvksa nkjk fofHkUu LFkyksa ij fd,s x,s ;ksx vH;kl ds –';

fo'o ;ksx fnol 2020 ij fofHkUu fgr /kkjdksa ds ;ksx vH;kl ij v[kckjksa esa lqf[kZ;k¡

RUDDY SHELDUCK

-A Series

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is widely distributed in Europe, Asia including the Indian subcontinent and Western

Africa. The bird is an early winter migrant in India and arrives by October and departs by April. The species is known for its

extreme high-altitude flight at 6800 m during migration over the Himalayas. It is distributed in the middle and lower

stretches of the Ganga River. The species occurs in inland freshwater and brackish water lakes and rivers. In the non-

breeding season, it prefers streams, rivers, freshwater pools, flooded grasslands, and marshes. It avoids coastal waters

and tall, dense vegetation or emergent and floating aquatic plants.

The adult birds are 58 to 70 cm in length, male has orange-brown body plumage and a paler, orange-brown head and

neck. The inner surfaces of the wings have iridescent green speculum feathers. The bill is black and the legs are dark

grey. Females are paler. It breeds during April and early June in high altitude lakes and swamps in Jammu and Kashmir.

It nests in a hole or cavity, from ground level upward into trees and cliffs with a clutch size of 6-12. The species is

nocturnal, omnivorous and feeds on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates exercising a top-down control in the food

chain. It also feeds on grasses, shoots of plants, grains and water plants helping in seed dispersal and control of

vegetation.

The loss and degradation of inland wetlands due to agricultural drainage and wastewater discharge, urban

development, xenobiotic compounds, introduction of exotic fish and overgrazing are major issues affecting the

species. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza.

SCIENTIFIC NAME Tadorna

ferruginea

OCCURRENCE Europe and Asian

countries including Indian Subcontinent

and West Africa

IUCN RED LIST Least Concern

Indian

INDIAN WILD LIFE

(PROTECTION) ACT, 1972Schedule IV

BIOGEOGRAPHIC PROVINCES

West Himalaya (2B), Upper & Lower Gangetic Plains

(7A & 7B)

IMPORTANT AREAS ALONG THE

GANGA RIVER Throughout the

upper and middle stretches of the river

upto Barrackpore

IUCN RED LIST Least Concern

Indian

Species Richness in Ganga

19

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NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGAMinistry of Jal Shakti, Department of WR, RD & GR, Government of India1st Floor, Major Dhyan Chand, National Stadium, India Gate, New Delhi-110002Telephone: +91-011-23072900-901 | Fax: +91-011-23049568 E-mail ID: admn@nmcg.nic.in

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