Question

Give a case study on gangs action plan

Answer 1

Ganges River is one of the longest river in India and it provides water to about 40% of India’s population. The Gangetic Plainsformed by Ganges River is one of the most fertile land on the earth and almost 10% of world population lives here and earn their livelihood and generates nearly 40% of GDP of India. From source to mouth the total length of Ganges River is 2600km and the Ganges basin covers almost quarter area of Indian mainland.
As per World Bank Sponsored Study (State of Environment Report), high pollution level in Ganges Water contributes 9-12% of total disease in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). Also, Ganges River was ranked among the five most polluted rivers of the world in the year 2007.

different parameters are used to test the quality of water in a river or stream. The four important parameter are:

1. Dissolved Oxygen (DO): The dissolved oxygen (measured in mg/L) is the most important characteristic that determines the quality of water a river or stream has. A water body can be considered as healthy as long as its dissolved oxygen DO exceeds 5 mg/L. Below this most fishes do not survive and they need minimum of 8 mg/L D.O during their embryonic and larval stages.
2. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD): Except for bacteria, organic matter in water is generally not harmful but causes oxygen depletion in water. The bacteria present in water feed on this organic matter thereby depleting oxygen and generating CO2. Therefore, the more organic matter is present, the more bacteria feed on it, and the greater oxygen depletion is. So the amount of organic matter is directly related to oxygen depletion.
3. Fecal Coliform (FC): Fecal coliforms are the group Coliform bacteria that generally originate in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and are considered to be present specifically in the gut and feces of warm-blooded animals. Fecal coliforms are considered as an accurate indicator of animal or human waste in water.
4. Total Coliforms: Total Coliforms includes bacteria that are found in the soil, in water and in human or animal waste. The total coliform is relatively easy to measure in the lab and therefore has been selected as the primary indicator for the presence of disease causing organisms in water.Indian Government had launched Ganga Action Plan I (1986) with the motive of cleaning the river and it turned out to be a failure. The Second phase of Ganga Action Plan was started in the year 1993 and in spite of spending millions of rupees the situation of pollution In Ganges River has worsened. In 2014, after assuming the office of Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi initiated the ambitious plan of “Namami Ganges” and more than 3000 crore was allocated for this project. According to RTI in year 2016, more than 2000 crore rupees has been already spent but the condition of river hasn’t improved till now. This statistics gives us an idea that like GAP I and GAP II, the Namami Ganga Programme is also going to be a failure. There is common saying “If Ganges thrives, India thrives & if Ganges dies, India dies” and after knowing the importance of Ganges River the above phrase seems logical.