IndiaCSR News Network

NEW DELHI: In its efforts to involve more and more sectors for Clean Ganga Mission, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the project implementation wing of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) under the aegis of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation launched ‘Nirmal Ganga Sahbhagita’ here yesterday.

The event marked the beginning of a sustainable partnership with 118 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) located along the river for the cherished objective of a Clean Ganga. The event was jointly organized by National Mission for Clean Ganga and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA). 78 ULBs from the four basin States in Ganga Basin ( Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand) participated in the event.

The initiative was inaugurated by Sushri Uma Bharati, Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Senior officials from Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Urban Development also participated in the event.

The Minister in her inaugural address cited the unanimous concern across the social strata for the cause of a Clean Ganga and emphasized upon the importance of the partnership and involvement of the Urban Local Bodies in the conservation of the river. She called upon each ULB to shoulder the challenge of making the Ganga rejuvenation mission a great success and a role model for conservation efforts for other rivers.

Speaking on the occasion Shri TVSN Prasad, Mission Director NMCG and Joint Secretary in the Water Resources Ministry said this event will be the first stepping stone for a sustainable partnership between ULBs and NMCG in effective execution of projects at ground level. He suggested for a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in each ULB which can act as a single window for project facilitation and information exchange.

He also suggested for an Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) between NMCG, ULBs and State Level Program Management Groups (SPMGs) for a fruitful engagement with ULBs on developing a litter free corridor along the banks of the river, arresting the flow of solid waste in the drains that discharge into the River, establishing environmental monitoring stations at confluence points of nalas with the rivers.

undertaking communication and public outreach activities for sensitizing the public about cleaning the river, developing model cremation ghats and dhobhi ghats, engaging unemployed youth and ex-servicemen for monitoring the water quality and project implementation and initiating livelihood programs. The contours of the MoU was presented by Professor Vinod Kumar Sharma of IIPA.

A model mobile phone application that would enable the public and officials to upload the onsite photographs and other information about project implementation that can be viewed through the Bhuvan web Portal was presented before the participants by a senior official from National Remote Sensing Centre.