Lok Sabha Question No. 2982 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: Aviralta and Nirmalta of Ganga River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Hemant Patil, Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod, A.K.P. Chinraj, Shrirang Appa Barne, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2982

ANSWERED ON 05.12 .2019

## AVIRALTA AND NIRMALT A OF GANGA RIVER

| 2982.   | SHRI VINAYAK RAUT SHRI RATANSINH MAGANSINH RATHOD SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE   | SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL SHRI A.K.P. CHINRAJ DR. HEENA GAVIT   |
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Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the various initiatives carried out by the Government in order to restore river Ganga's Aviralta and Nirmalta during the last three years;

(b) whether the Government has launched a unique open - water rafting and kayaking expedition on th Ganga River to create awareness on Ganga rejuvenation and water conserv ation recently and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of the various awareness exercises along with the expedition carried out by t

(d) the amount of the funds earmarked for this purpose and the details of the number of covered under this initiative;

(e)  whether  the  Government  is  successful  in  popularizing  the  said  awareness  campaign  and details thereof; and

(f) the other steps taken by the Government in this regard to create awareness among people?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) Cleaning of river is a continuous process and the Government of India is supplementing t the State Governments in addressing the challenges of pollution of river Ganga by providing technical assistance.

Under Namami Gange Progr amme, diverse set of interventions for cleaning and rejuvenat river Ganga have been taken up. These include pollution abatement activities including sewag effluent, solid waste etc., river front management, aviraldhara, rural sanitation, afforestation, biodiversity conservation,  public  participation  along  with  the  i n iatives  taken  by  Government  towards  Aviralt (continuous flow) of river Ganga.

A total of 305 projects have so far been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs. 28, ore, out  of  which  109  projects  have  been  completed  and  rest  of  the  projects  are  at  variou implementation.

(b) The National   Mission   for   Clean   Ganga organised a River Rafting and Kayaking named 'Ganga Aamantran' from   Devprayag   to   Gangasagar. aimed at creating awareness about Ganga Rejuvenation and Water Conservation.  The expedition also drew attention to the ecological being faced by Ganga during its journey over the five Ganga basin st ates i.e.  Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh Jharkhand,  Bihar  and  West  Bengal,  with  34  halt  at  locations  including  Rishikesh,  Haridwa Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna, and Kolkata.

(c) The team, during the expedition, took up public awareness campaigns on the various locations at which they stopped.  They organised mass cleaning drives on Ghats and streets, interacted wit the   village/city and spread the message of river conservation.  These public participati were duly support ed by local organisations. Several cultural programmes, rallies were organised youths, students and general public.

(d) There are no funds earmarked specifically for this purpose. The funds have been alloc respective SPMG and NMCG f or the expedition. An amount of Rs. 8,80,150/ - was  allocated  to  the  expedition  team.  However,  NMCG,  district  and  state  aut organised reception and logistic arrangements as part of normal public outreach programmes.

All the five Ganga main stem St ates namely Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand West Bengal have been covered during this expedition.

(e) This was the longest rafting expedition on Ganga in terms of total length covering ove and one of the biggest social campaigns in the world through an adventure sporting event and touched large number of people all the way through direct and indirect contacts.

The expedition concluded successfully achieving the intended objectives in large mea response of the local population and specially students throughout the expedition was very which was one of the principal objectives of the expeditio n.

(f) NMCG is committed to make Ganga Cleaning Programme a People's Movement and towards this goal, it organises several public outreach programmes to connect with people and directly ca to them. Some of the interventions are mass cleaning drives, ghat cleaning drives, organising campaig putting up exhibitions, conducting quiz and other competitions etc.

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