Namami Gange Initiative: A Comprehensive Overview of Sewerage Infrastructure and Water Quality Progress

Under the ambitious Namami Gange Programme, the government has initiated 195 sewerage infrastructure projects in the Ganga basin. These projects, with a staggering cost of Rs 31,344.13 crore, aim to create and rehabilitate 6,173.12 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity.

Namami Gange Initiative: Current Achievements & Targets

As of now, 109 sewerage projects have been successfully completed, resulting in the creation and rehabilitation of 2,664.05 MLD of STP capacity. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has set an ambitious target to sanction a cumulative treatment capacity of 7,000 MLD by December 2026.

State Contributions & Estimates

• The State Pollution Control Boards of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal estimate a total sewage generation of 11,764.5 MLD in the Ganga Main Stem states. To tackle this, 6,498.25 MLD of sewage treatment capacity has already been installed, with an additional 2,004.87 MLD under construction and 1,965.55 MLD under tendering. The remaining gap of 1,625.50 MLD will be addressed by different state governments.

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has estimated a sewage generation of 3,558 MLD from 110 Ganga front towns. Thanks to Namami Gange interventions, the total treatment capacity for towns along the main stem of the river has increased to 2589 MLD, with an additional 910 MLD treated through the East Kolkata Wetland. Projects for developing 1104 MLD STP capacity in these towns are at various stages of implementation.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

Though some projects faced initial delays due to infrastructure and sewerage implementation challenges, including land acquisition and the COVID-19 pandemic, necessary steps have been taken to address these issues. In 2022 and 2023, 26 and 10 sewerage projects were completed, respectively, contributing significantly to sewage treatment capacity.

Financial Support

Under the Namami Gange Programme, a total of 450 projects at an estimated cost of Rs 38,022.37 Crore have been undertaken, with 270 projects already completed and operational. The government, from 2014-15 to October 31, 2023, has released Rs 16,011.65 crore, and NMCG disbursed Rs 15,015.26 crore to state governments and executing agencies.

Based on the water quality assessment by the CPCB in 2023, the Dissolved Oxygen levels are within acceptable limits along the Ganga stretch, supporting the river's ecosystem. The Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels are satisfactory, with marginal exceedance observed in specific stretches in Uttar Pradesh.

(Inputs Taken from PIB)