In which year was the Ganga Action Plan launched? [IAS Questions & Answers at BYJU’S]

The Ganga Action Plan(GAP) was launched in 1985 by Shri Rajeev Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India.

Launched by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, it is the first river action plan in India.

It was developed based on a comprehensive survey of the Ganga basin carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 1984.

The primary objectives of the plan were:

Pollution abatement

Improving the quality of water by interception, diversion, and domestic sewage treatment

Treatment of industrial chemical waste

New technologies like Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) for sewage treatment, control of nonpoint pollution, conservation of the diversity of water, and rehabilitation of soft-shelled turtles, were all the major objectives of GAP.
Phase- I of the Ganga Action Plan focused on the Ganga river particularly, whereas the Ganga Action Plan Phase -II included the major tributaries of Ganga, including Yamuna, Gomti, and Damodar.
In 1995, under the National River Conservation Plan, GAP was extended to major rivers of the country.
The plan currently covers 34 rivers, with works carried out in 160 towns across 20 states.

Related Links:

Central Pollution Control Board	National Ganga Council	National Mission for Clean Ganga
Mekong – Ganga Cooperation	Interlinking of Rivers	Major Indian River System

In which year was the Ganga Action Plan launched?