The Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved the industrial and sewerage pollution abatement projects with an estimated cost of around Rs 38 crores.
The 43rd meeting of the Executive Committee of the NMCG was held under the chairmanship of G Asok Kumar, Director General, NMCG and was attended by SP Vashishth, ED (Admin), NMCG, DP Mathuria, ED (Technical), NMCG, Himansu Badoni, ED (Projects), NMCG, Bhaskar Dasgupta, ED (Finance), NMCG and Richa Misra, JS&FA, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Projects pertaining to industrial and sewerage pollution abatement through new technologies, afforestation, development of Kalindi Kunj ghat landscape and others were approved in the EC meeting at an estimated cost of around Rs 38 crores.
A project titled, ‘Afforestation Programmes in States of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal 2022-23’ was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 10.30 crores which includes plantation, maintenance, capacity building and training and awareness in the two main stem Ganga basin states.
The intervention is aimed at improving forest cover, enhancing forest diversity and productivity, biodiversity conservation and sustainable land and ecosystem management for the better flow of ecosystem services, sustainable livelihood and overall conservation of Ganga Riverscape.
The ‘in-principle’ approval was also accorded to the development of the landscape of Kalindi Kunj ghat that would include the creation of eco-friendly seating, waste bins, shades, and plantation with one of the aims to facilitate people-river connect.
For industrial pollution abatement, a pilot project for the installation and commissioning of an electrochemical technology-based modular effluent treatment plant of 100 KLD capacity has been approved at the estimated cost of about Rs 77 lakh.
The project will treat the discharged water from some textile industries in Mathura for River Yamuna. The project is aimed at reducing wastewater discharge (pollution and chemical load as well) through the adoption of eco-friendly and green technologies.
Another pilot project titled ‘Upgradation/integration of existing UASB system with micro-aerobic processes under the head of Research, Studies, Pilot & Training, Workshop, Seminar, Publication etc.’ was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crores. The study is aimed with the objective of zero discharge and resource recovery concept from sewage treatment using the up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) process. The possible outcome of the pilot study would be the recovery of the nutrients, and energy in the form of biogas and treated effluent that could be used for non-potable use.
For sewerage pollution in Gauri Kund and Tilwara in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, a project costing Rs 23.37 crore has also been approved for the construction of sewerage treatment plants of (200 KLD+10KLD+6KLD+100KLD) capacities, among other works.
