Current Affairs

56th Executive Committee meeting of NMCG approves 9 projects, worth Rs. 265 crores, pivotal in reducing pollution and improving River Ganga’s ecosystem

56th Executive Committee meeting of NMCG approves 9 projects, worth Rs. 265 crores, pivotal in reducing pollution and improving River Ganga’s ecosystem

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved nine projects worth Rs. 265 crores in its 56th Executive Committee meeting held in New Delhi. The approved projects are pivotal to the improvement of the river’s ecosystem as these ensure minimized level of pollution in the river Ganga, thereby maintaining its cleanliness and ensuring its conservation. Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, DG NMCG, chaired the meeting.

A crucial project on Faecal Sludge Management for Abatement of Pollution of River Ganga at Dalmau Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh was approved to reduce the pollution of the river Ganga. Under this project, an 8 KLD Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant will be established, along with a 15 KW Solar Power Plant and one Solar Inverter. Based on the DBOT model, the project is approved at an overall cost of Rs. 4.40 crores which covers O&M of the project for a stipulated period of five years.

The sewerage project was approved in Gulaothi town, Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh. This project aims to prevent pollution in the East Kali River, a tributary of the river Ganga, which flows through eight districts of Uttar Pradesh. Approved at an estimated cost of Rs. 50.98 crores, the project is dedicated to the I&D of drains and sewage treatment works with a capacity of 10 MLD with O&M for a period of 15 Years.

In an attempt to create awareness about the river Ganga and the environment during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 and thereafter approval was given for Construction of Arth Ganga Centre and Branding of Railway Station Chheoki, at Prayagraj at a cost of Rs. 1.80 crores. Besides creating awareness, the project intends to create employment opportunities and support the women SHGs of the Ganga basin.

Additionally, Restoration Plan of Lower Order Streams and Tributaries in the Upper Gomti River Basin through Nature-Based Solutions (Nbs) was approved by the Executive Committee. Proposed by the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University, Lucknow, the project lays emphasis on the rejuvenation of lower-order streams and tributaries in the upper Gomti River Basin through nature-based solutions to improve the health of the river Ganga at a cost of Rs. 81.09 lakh.

Moving on, a significant step under the Namami Gange Mission has been the approval of the project that focuses on the installation of new penstock gates and renovation of existing gates along the bank (Eastern and Western) of Beliaghata Circular Canal in Kolkata, West Bengal. The estimated cost of this project is Rs. 7.11 crores under DBOT mode. O&M cost shall be borne by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Another development has been the approval of an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the conservation and sustainable management of Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary located in Sahibganj, Jharkhand, at a cost of Rs. 25.89 crores, for a period of 5 years.

The Executive Committee also approved the proposal for the renovation of electric crematoriums under the PBIG component of the World Bank funded in Santipur, Garulia and Chakdha municipalities in West Bengal. With an estimated cost of Rs. 2.89 crores on DBOT mode, including O&M for 5 years.

The Munger Sewerage Network and STP project, with a capacity of a 30 MLD capacity STP and a 175 km long sewerage network, has been approved at a revised cost of Rs. 522.85 crores. While the project is based on DBOT mode, its operation and maintenance will be transferred to the state government after 15 years of operation.

The Committee approved the project Establishment of Secretariat for Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) at Varanasi” to be executed by IIT (BHU). This ambitious project intends to deploy global expertise and adopt sustainable practices to rejuvenate and give a facelift to all the small rivers spread across the country. This, it does by creating the right balance between the environment, the economy and the society as a whole.

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