National Mission for Clean Ganga under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in collaboration with Indian Institute of technology, Kanpur (IITK) on Sunday (April 17th) announced the formal launch of Centre for Ganga River Basin management and Studies (CGRBMS) in New Delhi.
The Ministry signed a 10 year Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with IITK for provision of continual scientific support in the implementation and dynamic evolution of the Ganga River Basin Management Plan.
Delivering the keynote address on the occasion, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation explained in detail why the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies is needed for the mission and how important is this collaboration. She said, “ We are trying to make a framework where opinions from all the people across the globe who are interested in our rivers should be invited.”
The Minister said we are focusing on cleaning the Ganga by setting up Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).
Sushri Bharti said, “These are the issues which can be solved by procuring the technologies around the world. But what is important here is how to ensure continuous flow in the rivers.” To solve this, efforts needs to be done by each and every one which includes government authorities, academicians, researchers etc, the Minister added
Shri Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources said that government has decided to implement Sewage Treatment Plants (STP’s) using a specific Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework called hybrid annuity model.
“The government shall be Technology agnostic and neutral but it doesn’t have the capacity to evaluate the technologies. The Centre must take this up as one of its task ” he added.
Dr. Vinod Tare, Professor IITK said, the program has been aptly named as Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies. He said , “ The Centre will act as a think-tank to the government as well as knowledge hub to coordinate all activities within the Ganga river basin and these activities will include science, technology, research, Innovation, social, Economics, finance and investment related aspects.” He said that centre will collaborate with many national and international bodies. Prof. Tare said the Ganga River Basin Management Plan 2015 by IIT Consortiums has provided strategic action plans, some policy interventions and management action along with financial implications.
These plans shall be further detailed by the centre with financial, social, economical and environment implications, he added.
