Namami Gange Mission: Transforming Ganga Through Strategic Projects

The Namami Gange Mission has completed four major projects in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-25. These initiatives aim to reduce pollution and enhance water quality along the Ganga and Ramganga rivers, significantly benefiting local communities and boosting the economy.

The Namami Gange Mission is making headway in preserving the Ganga river's purity through four completed projects in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These efforts, accomplished in the first quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, target pollution reduction in key areas along the Ganga and Ramganga rivers.

In Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, projects initiated in May 2020 with a budget of Rs129.08 crore have reached completion. This includes intercepting and diverting drains, establishing new networks, and constructing two 8.5 MLD Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at Bisunderpur and Pakka Pokhara. The existing 14 MLD STP at Pakka Pokhara has been upgraded with a new main pumping station added to the city's infrastructure. Deepu Yadav, Plant In-Charge of the Bisunderpur STP, stated that the municipal wastewater, previously dumped into the Ganga, is now treated to meet all required standards before being discharged back into the river.

In Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, a Rs152.83 crore project approved in 2020 resulted in the development of a 21 MLD STP and a main pumping station that commenced operations in May 2024. Utilizing Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology, the STP adheres to National Green Tribunal standards. Chief Project Manager R. Rajendran explained that the water is transported 8 kilometers from the main pumping station to the STP, where it undergoes treatment before being discharged into the Besu River, eventually merging with the Ganga.

These new STPs in Mirzapur and Ghazipur have significantly improved local water quality and reduced pollution. Local resident Sunil Kumar Bharti noted that Namami Gange's plants have cleaned the Ganga, attracting more tourists. The enhanced ghats and cleaner rivers are drawing more visitors, bolstering the local economy. Sundaram Raj Srivastava from Mirzapur praised the cleaner ghats, highlighting the positive feedback on social media.

In Bareilly, projects costing Rs271.3 crore, including the interception and diversion of 15 drains, development of a 1.3 km network, and construction of three STPs with a total capacity of 63 MLD, have been completed. Executive Engineer Kumkum Gangwar mentioned the introduction of German-made PERI shuttering, which reduced casting time, allowing the project to finish ahead of schedule.

In Munger, Bihar, the 'Sewer Network, STP, and SPS' project, approved in March 2018 for Rs523 crore, boasts a 174.75 km sewer network, a 30 MLD STP, and a main pumping station, completed ahead of schedule. The Namami Gange Mission continues striving to rejuvenate and preserve the Ganga, ensuring a cleaner and safer environment for future generations.

(With inputs from agencies.)