Ganga Cleanup Plan 2014

Sanjeev Bahadur ,New DelhiRavi Mathur, Delhi,IndiaCA Raman Tondon,Delhi

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Untreated waste at Varanasi

Ganga-People Bathing and Praying

People hesitate to bathe at Benaras(Varanasi) According to Sh LK Advani,Former Dy Prime

Minister,Ganga is languishing in such polluted state that people hesitate to bathe in her waters even in Kashi.

This is caused by reckless and i l l-planned industrial ization and urbanization, made worse by lack of elementary civic facil i t ies in towns and vi l lages along it.

Mr. Advani quoted Swami Chidananda Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, to argue that the pollution in Ganga was a serious matter.

river.www.dailymail.co.uk

“The great Ganga clean-up disaster: How then PM-headed conservation group failed to meet for 10 YEARS and spent just Rs 967 crores of Rs 20,000 crore set aside to save.”

Rs 20,000 crores on GAPI and GAP-II Last three decades have seen an allocation

of over Rs 20,000 crore through the two phases of Ganga Action Plan (GAP I & II) to clean up the river. Yet, a clean Ganga remains elusive, as pollutants of all varieties keep choking the great river.

Ganga carries highest SILT load The Ganga river carries the highest silt load

of any river in the world and the deposition of this material in the delta region results in the largest river delta in the world (400 km from north to south and 320 km from east to west).

The rich mangrove forests of the Gangetic delta contain very rare and valuable species of plants and animals and are unparalleled among many forest ecosystems.

Ganga serves as Channel for urban wastes In the recent past, due to rapid progress in

communications and commerce, there has been a rapid increase in the urban areas along the river Ganga.

As a result, this river is no longer the only source of water but is also a channel, receiving and transporting urban wastes away from the numerous towns on the way.

Ganga Basin-692 are located on river itself Today, one third of the country's urban

population lives in the towns of the Ganga basin.

Out of the 2,300 towns in the country, 692 are located in this basin, and of these, 100 are located along the river bank itself.

Ganga’s abuse and exploitation The widespread belief that the Ganga river is "holy"

has not, however, prevented over-use, abuse,exploitation and pollution of the river. All the towns along its length contribute to the pollution load.

It has been assessed that more than 80 per cent of the total pollution load (in terms of organic pollution expressed as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)) arises from domestic sources, i.e. from the settlements along the river course.

Principal sources of pollution in the Ganga river The principal sources of pollution in the Ganga river may be

characterized as follows:

Domestic and industrial wastes. It has been estimated that about 1.4 Ã � ï � � 106 m3 d-1 of domestic wastewater and 0.26 Ã � ï � � 106 m3 d-1 of industrial sewage are going into the river.

Solid garbage thrown directly into the river.Non-point sources of pol lution from agricultural run-off containing residues of harmful pesticides and fert i l izers.Animal carcasses and half-burnt and unburnt human corpses thrown into the river.

Defecation on the banks by low-income people.Mass bathing and ritualist ic practices.

Sources of Pollution in Ganga Approximately 1 bil l ion l i tres of raw, untreated sewage are

dumped in the r iver on a daily basis. The amount has more than doubled in the last 20 years and experts predict another 100% increase in the following 20 years.

The rapid explosion of India's population in the last 25 years coupled with lax regulations on industry has put a huge strain on the r iver leading to an explosion in Ganges river pollut ion.

Thousands of bodies are cremated on the banks of the river yearly with many being released into the r iver with hopes that their souls may have a direct path to heaven.

Hundreds of Unwanted or ' i l legit imate' babies, catt le and other animal carcases are also dumped in the Ganges again with rel igious signif icance .

The levels of Coliform bacteria is over 2800 t imes the level considered safe by the W.H.O (world health organisation).

WHO The levels of Coliform bacteria is

over 2800 times the level considered safe by the W.H.O (World Health Organisation).

Pollution Load in Ganga 75 per cent of the pollut ion load was from untreated

municipal sewage.

88 per cent of the municipal sewage was from the 25 Class I towns on the main r iver.

Only a few of these cit ies had sewage treatment facil i t ies (these are grossly inadequate and are often not functional).

All the industries accounted for only 25 per cent of the total pol lut ion (in some areas, such as Calcutta and Kanpur, the industr ial waste was very toxic and hard to treat).

Broad aim of the GAP Attainable objectives:

The broad aim of the GAP was to reduce pollution and to clean the river and to restore water quality at least to Class B (i.e. bathing quali ty: 3 mg l-1 BOD and 5 mg l-1 dissolved oxygen).

This was considered as a feasible objective and because a unique and distinguishing feature of the Ganga was its widespread use for r itualistic mass bathing.The other environmental benefits envisaged were improvements in, for example, f isheries, aquatic f lora and fauna, aesthetic quality, health issues and levels of contamination

Important reasons for failure of Ganga Action Plan a) Non availabil i ty of Environmental State-of-the-Art

Technology.b) Inappropriate Environmental Planning.c) Establishment of non specif ic Sewage Treatment Plants on highly productive crop lands.d) Shortage of authentic information on quality & quantity of waste generation, mode of disposal, possibil i t ies for recycling, development of community treatment plants and cost effective treatment technologies.e) Improper cooperat ion between Central, State and Local Government bodies.f) Lack of local technical expert committees for monitoring the completed work.g) Least input from mult idiscipl inary environmental experts in policy planning of the Ganga Act ion Plan.h)8.Short on global tender policies for formulation and execution of pollut ion control projects.i) Lack of long term involvement of authorit ies to f ix responsibil i t ies for fai lure.j)Low polit ical commitment, dedication and vision to save the Ganga

World Health Organisation(WHO) guidelines Barium 10 micrograms/Liter

Boron 2400 micrograms/LiterChromium 50 micrograms/lFluoride 1500 micrograms/literSelenium 40 micrograms/liter

Uranium 30 micrograms/liter

WHO guidelines Cadmium 3 micrograms/l i t re

Mercury 6 micrograms/l For inorganic mercuryOrganic species:Benzene 10 micrograms/l i terCarbon tetrachloride 4Ã � ï � �g/l1,2-Dichlorobenzene 1000Ã � ï � �g/l1,4-Dichlorobenzene 300Ã � ï � �g/l1,2-Dichloroethane 30Ã � ï � �g/l1,2-Dichloroethene 50Ã � ï � �g/lDichloromethane 20Ã � ï � �g/lDi(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate 8 Ã � ï � �g/l1,4-Dioxane 50Ã � ï � �g/lEdetic acid 600Ã � ï � �g/lEthylbenzene 300 Ã � ï � �g/lHexachlorobutadiene 0.6 Ã � ï � �g/lNitri lotr iacet ic acid 200Ã � ï � �g/lPentachlorophenol 9Ã � ï � �g/lStyrene 20Ã � ï � �g/lTetrachloroethene 40Ã � ï � �g/lToluene 700Ã � ï � �g/lTrichloroethene 20Ã � ï � �g/lXylenes 500Ã � ï � �g/l

Pollution Types and Results of Water :

a) Infectious agents: Mil l ion of deaths a year,Organic materials - biological oxygen demand (BOD) increase result ing in oxygen sag Plant nutrients - toxic t ides Metals - mercury and lead poisoning Nonmetall ic salts - poison seeps and springs Acids and bases - ecosystem destabil ization Organic chemicals - birth defects, cancer Sediments - clogged estuaries, death of coral reefs Thermal pollut ion - thermal plume.

Infectious Agents in Ganga Infectious Agents: Main source of

waterborne pathogens is untreated and improperly treated human waste. Animal wastes from feedlots and f ields is also an important source of pathogens.

In developed countries, sewage treatment plants and pollut ion-control devices have greatly reduced pathogens. Tests for water quality are done for coliform bacteria ( intestinal bacteria). Such tests are easier and cheaper. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the major coliform bacterium species

Inorganic Pollutants in Ganga Inorganic Pollutants Metals Many metals such as

mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel are highly toxic. Highly persistent and tend to bioaccumulate in food chains. Lead pipes are a serious source of drinking water pollution. Mine drainage and leaching are serious sources of environmental contamination.

Nonmetall ic Salts Many salts that are non-toxic at low concentrations can be mobil ized by irr igation and concentrated by evaporation, reaching levels toxic to plants and animals. Leaching of road salts has had detrimental effect on many ecosystems. Acids and Bases often released as by-products of industrial manufacturing processes.

Organic Chemicals in Ganga: Organic Chemicals:Thousands of natural and

synthetic organic chemicals are used to make pesticides, plastics, pharmaceuticals, pigments, etc.

Two most important sourcesof toxic organic chemicals in water are:

Improper disposal of industrial and household wastes. Runoff of pesticides from high-use areas, f ields, roadsides.

Sediment in Ganga Sediment: Human activit ies have

accelerated erosion rates in multiple areas.

Cropland erosion contributes about 25 bil l ion metric tons of suspended solids to world surfaces each year.

Sediment can either be beneficial (nourish f loodplains) or harmful (smother aquatic l i fe!).

Thermal Pollution Thermal Pollut ion: Raising or lowering water

temperatures from normal levels can adversely affect water quality and aquatic l i fe.

Oxygen solubil i ty in water decreases as temperatures increase. Species requiring high oxygen levels are adversely affected by warming water.

Industrial cooling often uses heat-exchangers to extract excess heat, and discharge heated water back into original source. Thermal Plume Produce art if icial environments which attract many forms of wildlife

Pollution Control Pollution Control Nonpoint Pollution

Sources and Land Management reduce nutrient loading thru land use regulations.

Source reduction is cheapest and most effective way to reduce pollution.

Banning phosphate detergents Soil Conservation Sewage Treatment Remediation

Sewage Treatment Rationale Sewage Treatment Rationale: More than 500

pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites can travel from human or animal excrement through water.

Natural Processes In many areas, outdoor urination and defecation is the norm. When population densit ies are low, natural processes can quickly el iminate waste.

Artif icial Wetlands Are a Low Cost Method Natural water purif ication Effluent can be used to irr igate crops or raise fish for human consumption.

Municipal Sewage Treatment Primary Treatment - Physical separation of

large solids from the waste stream. Secondary Treatment - Biological

degradation of dissolved organic compounds. Eff luent from primary treatment transferred into tr ickling bed, or aeration tank Eff luent from secondary treatment is usually disinfected (chlorinated) before release into nearby waterway.

Tertiary Treatment - Removal of plant nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) from secondary eff luent. Chemicals, or natural wetlands .

Water Remediation Extraction techniques are used to pump out

polluted water for treatment. Oxidation, reduction, neutralization, or precipitation.

Living organisms can also be used effectively to break down polluted waters.

Solutions on Water Pollution Prevent groundwater contamination greatly

reduce nonpoint runoff Reuse treated wastewater for irrigation.

Find substitutes for toxic pollutants Work with nature to treat sewage Practice four R’s of resource use (refuse, reduce, recycle, reuse)

Reduce resource waste, Reduce air pollution, Reduce poverty, Reduce birth rates.

Excerpt from CAG Report Every year, more people die

from the consequences of unsafewater than from all forms ofviolence, including wars.....CAG Report

UNICEF Statistics UNICEF child mortality data show that about

half of under-five deaths occur in only five countries: India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Pakistan and China. Two countries India (24 per cent) and Nigeria (11 per cent)together account for more than a third of all under-f ive deaths.

These same countries also have significant populations without improved water and sanitation

UNICEF report The figures for sanitation are even bleaker.

Those without improved sanitation in these countries are: India 814 million; China 477 million; Nigeria 109 million; Pakistan 91 million; and DRC 50 million. Improvements in water and sanitation would greatly contribute to a reduction in child mortality in these counties.

Challenges Clean Ganga campaign is a huge

engineering,management,medical,tourism,agriculture challenge

which has to be solved transparently ,phase-wise, in a result oriented manner by creatingpositive implementable goals ,improved processes,roadmap

with timebound milestones after consulting existing participating agencies and stake holders involved and by designing positive mission,vision,efficient organization structure,payments to be made promptly after work execution by selected and eligible third party thru e-Procurement and certification by inhouse team.

Project is huge Engineering,Management and Medical Healthcare Challenge

This project is huge Engineering, Management and Medical Healthcare Challenge as thousands of crores has gone down the drain with no visible change in Ganga's water quality.

The 2500 km long Ganga has 4 different problems in 4 different stretches and require innovative solutions!

Hon’ble Supreme Court interested in Ganga cleaning deadlines

According to Times of India and Aaj Tak TV channels:

Hon'ble Supreme court is also taking active interest in the cleaning of the Ganga!

The Ganga cleaning task is simple though tedious !

The Ganga cleaning task is simple though tedious !

Please consider these simple innovative suggestions

Flat Organization required Only 25 full time staff members are required with

Engineering,Management,Vigilance,IT,Legal,Contracts background.(Flat organization is required)

(Only Rs 90-100 crores p .a for staff travel,Administration,training and development,e-tendering,accounting,Salaries per year required,PR on Radio,Railway Stations,Bus Stands,MIS,CAD/CAM Facility Management to be created in Delhi).

This also includes funding 3-4 Research projects/studies every year on different areas

Likely funds requirement for Ganga cleanup annually Estimated Rs 3300 crores per annum Only 30 important cities to be

considered on the course of 2500 km long Ganga course.

Use of NGO’s/IIT Labs/CSIR labs in Monitoring/Research Projects

NGO's/IIT labs/CSIR labs to take up Quality Monitoring standards on per month basis

30 No’s E-Tenders 30 different e-tenders for 30 cities to be

floated and their fortnightly/monthly payments to be made after the river water quality standards are within plus/minus 15% of WHO standards to be certified by agencies above in IIT/CSIR/NGO’s certify the quality of water and cleanliness standards.

Stricter quality norms to be enforced from second year onwards!

Toilets,Bathroom,Drinking water facilities at major cities 1000 toilets, 1000 bathrooms for

men/Women/children and 1000 taps for drinking RO water required each at Haridwar ,Allahabad, Varanasi,Rishikesh. About 100-200 nos Dust bins to be placed at all 30 cities on the Ghats, Railway Stations ,Bus Stands.

A public warning system and public address system to be installed at each Ghat.

Safety metal Ropes to prevent bathing people and children on the slippery ghats to slip into the river

Kanpur-Most polluted city Kanpur has to be considered separately

as this city has the highest industrial waste generation and highest air pollution in the country.

Rain water harvesting is required to recharge ground water levels during rainy season as there is excess water flowing into the sea unutilized.

New Solid waste disposal sites New Solid waste disposal

sites/Sanitary landfills/Waste management to be created allocated at each city depending on the data /statistics and extrapolating city growth for next 100 years.

Mechanism to prevent Landslides in hilly terrain On hills there are frequent landslides,a

special mechanism has to be devised to prevent landslides entering the river bed which restricts channel carrying capacity/rain water runoffs.

Ban on dumping caracasses in River .Banning of duming animal

caracasses/half burnt human caracasses into the river which is unique to India.

Clean riverfront/Afforestation in 30 cities Creating clean river front development at

each of the 30 cities, emergency services at all cities with 10 boats each ghat at the begining and end of the city.

Provision with tieups withhospitals in each city.

Plan for Afforestation in contract to plant 10000 trees per year per city(30 cities)!

Creation of IT/MIS/Telecom network to monitor pollution Creation of MIS system in which

NGO’s/IIT’s Research scholars/CSIR labs enter fortnightly pollution or water quality levels from 3 points in the river from same city.

Tenderers have to fill in data of samples after treating water as per recommended standards for payment.

Arbitration and Penalty in Contracts! Contract shall have Arbitration and

penalty provisions for tenderers.

Hope for a clean Ganga

Hope for a clean Ganga Thank you!