Rejuvenation of small rivers under the NREGS highlight of PM meet

Subject: Geograpjhy

Context:

The centre will showcase its initiative of rejuvenating around 75 small rivers, mainly in UP, over the past four years using funds under the national rural job guarantee scheme during the second meeting of the National Ganga Council.

Details of the news:

It will be the first meeting since 2019 of the Council, which is the apex authorityresponsible for cleaning the river and includes the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal as members.
The Council also includes several Union ministers, including the Finance Minister, Rural Development Minister and Power Minister.
The NMCG has proposed making urban river management plans (URMPs) and river sensitive master planning mandatory for river cities.
Some of the key small rivers that are being rejuvenated include Gomti, Sai, Mandakini and Varuna in UP.

National Mission for Clean Ganga:

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is implemented by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga also known as the National Ganga Council.
This mission was established on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act,1860 as a registered society.
Objectives:
- The mission incorporates rehabilitating and boosting the existing STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) and instant short-term steps to curb pollution at exit points on the riverfront in order to check the inflow of sewage.
- To maintain the continuity of the water flow without changing the natural season variations.
- To restore and maintain the surface flow and groundwater.
- To regenerate and maintain the natural vegetation of the area.
- To conserve and regenerate the aquatic biodiversity as well as the riparian biodiversity of the river Ganga basin.
- To allow participation of the public in the process of protection, rejuvenation and management of the river.

Initiatives Related to cleaning of Ganga river:

NamamiGange Programme: It is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
Ganga Action Plan: It was the first River Action Plan that was taken up by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage.
- The National River Conservation Plan is an extension to the Ganga Action Plan. It aims at cleaning the Ganga river under Ganga Action Plan phase-2.
National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA): It was formed by the Government of India in the year 2009 under Section-3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
- Ganga was declared as the ‘National River’ of India in
Clean Ganga Fund: In 2014, it was formed for cleaning up of the Ganga, setting up of waste treatment plants, and conservation of biotic diversity of the river.
Bhuvan-Ganga Web App: It ensures involvement of the public in monitoring of pollution entering into the river Ganga.
Ban on Waste Disposal: In 2017, the National Green Tribunal banned the disposal of any waste in the Ganga.

Ganga river basin map