A new initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for cleaning the Ganga DR. MANMOHAN SINGH Hon'ble Prime Minister To meet the formidable challenge of cleaning the Ganga river, the Central Government has launched a new initiative and established the National Ganga River Basin Authority. The river basin will now be the unit of planning. The emphasis will henceforth be on ensuring minimum ecological flows in addition to pollution abatement. GANGA: A Unique River The Ganga basin represents 26 percent of the Indian landmass. The uniqueness of the Ganga gives it a standing not ascribed to any other river in the country. The national importance of the Ganga comes from reasons that are geographical, historical, socio-culture and economic. The ever increasing threat to the river is due to rapid industrialization and urbanisation leading to an unrelenting discharge of untreated wastewater into the river. The problem is compounded by inadequate flows. The launching of the Ganga Action Plan as a centrally funded scheme in 1985 was the beginning of the river cleaning program. A NEW MISSION The need for revamping the Ganga cleaning program was being widely recognised. Accordingly, the Central Government has given Ganga the status of a 'National River1 and has constituted a 'National Ganga River Basin Authority' (NGRBA) on 20.02.2009. The NGRBA is an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganga River. It has been set up under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The objective is to have river basin as the unit of planning and to have a comprehensive response covering water quality and flow, sustainable access, environment management, prevention and control of pollution and food and energy security, in the form of a national mission. The Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister and has as its members, the Chief Ministers of the States through which Ganga flows, viz., Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Union Ministers of Environment & Forests, Finance, Urban Development, Water Resources, Power, Science & Technology, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission are also members of the Authority. 5 experts in the fields of environmental engineering, hydrology, river conservation and social mobilization will also be co-opted. THE ROAD MAP The Authority has both regulatory and developmental functions. The Authority will take measures for effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga in keeping with sustainable development needs.