Just came out of the workshop at IIT Kanpur after it ended. All 7 IITs have come together to do a Ganga River Plan under NGRBA. They have uploaded a website http://www.gangapedia.in/ where there will soon be a free registration for all to contribute. The plan will build upon the failures of the old Ganga Action Plan and prescribe a new one that will not only look at pollution but also ensure involvement of the Civil Society, integrate Water Resource Management so that less water is taken out from Ganga by efficient agriculture, ensure recycling of river water and also look at socio-cultural livelihood issues.
I, on my part, highlighted 6 issues: (1) Solid Waste Management should also be looked into as some municipalities are dumping solid waste to the river (2) Funds for O&M (Operation & Maintenance) of capital structures should be provided in the plan as municipalities don't have necessary funds for this (3) Along with Civil Society, Panchayats and Municipalities should also be involved (4) Economic aspects of people staying at the banks or dependent on the river may be taken into account (5) School syllabus of EvS should contain a component of Clean Ganga and (6) the issue of water sharing with Bangladesh in lean season may be revisited.
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Mr Rajiv Gauba was there throughout (except last 40 minutes). Minister Mr Jairam Ramesh was there till lunchtime. I told him that the recent India Today story was quite flattering to him. He appeared happy and said that West Bengal was doing a good job too !
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