Lok Sabha Question No. 1797 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-20
Subject: Ganga River Basin Management Plan
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI, PARASURAMAN K.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 1797 ANSWERED ON 20.12 .201 8

## GANGA RIVER BASIN MA NAGEMENT PLAN

## 1797. DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU SHRI K. PARASURAMAN

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the Government's effort have been largely on cleaning of the Ganga river by installing sewage plants in riverine cities but neglecting to take steps to ensure the river's natural flow and if so, the facts thereof;

(b) whether the Government is having any proposal to ban hydro power projects on this river a details thereof;

(c) whether the Government i s having any consultation with experts from certain foreign countries t a Ganga River Basin Management Plan and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  feasibility  study  on  the  river  basin  manag ement  plan submitted by the consortium of seven IITs and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION & HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

## (DR.  SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a) The cleaning of rivers is an ongoing process and this Ministry is supplementing the effort Governments in addressing the challenges of pollution of river Ganga by providing financial Under  Namami  Gange  Programme,  variety  of  coordi nated  activities  meant  for  cleaning  of  river  Gan including  treatment  of  municipal  sewage,  treatment  of  industrial  effluent,  drain  bio - remediation,  river surface  cleaning,  rural  sanitation,  river  front  development,  construction  of  ghats  and af forestation & biodiversity conservation, public outreach program etc have been taken up. So 254 projects have been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs. 24,672 crore to clean the Ganga the sanctioned 254 projects, 123 projects are other than of sewage treatment plants which shows the ecl approach taken to address the problem.

(b) There is no such proposal in the Ministry of Power to ban Hydro Power Project on Ganga River

(c) Yes,  Madam.Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (C - Ganga) has been established at Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) as a centre of excellence to further the d Ganga  River  Basin,  by  channelising  scientific  inputs  from  international  experts  and organizations  to contribute towards implementation of the Ganga River Basin Management Plan. International colla have taken place with Germany, Israel, England, Scotland and European Union.

(d) Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP) was prepa red by consortium of 7 IITs in 2010. The plan  is  being  implemented  by  National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga  (NMCG)  under  Namami  Gang Programme. NMCG has sanctioned a total of 254 projects worth Rs.24,672 crore in accordance thrust areas viz. Nirmal Dh ra (Clean river), Aviral Dhara (Wholesome river), River Front Develop (Swach Kinara), Capacity Building, Research & Monitoring, Conservation of bio - d versity and Awareness creation, specified in the GRBMP plan.