“Namami Gange”

An Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission called “Namami Gange” has been proposed to be set up in the Union Budget 2014-15 and a sum of Rs. 2,037 crores has been set aside for this purpose. 

• In addition a sum of Rs. 100 crores has been allocated for developments of Ghats and beautification of River Fronts at Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Patna and Delhi in the current financial year.

Namami Gange approaches Ganga Rejuvenation by consolidating the existing ongoing efforts and planning for a concrete action plan for future. 

The interventions at Ghats and River fronts will facilitate better citizen connect and set the tone for river centric urban planning process.

• Recognizing the multi-sectoral, multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder nature of the Ganga Rejuvenation challenge, the key Ministries comprising of 
• (a) WR, RD&GR, 
• (b) Environment, Forests & Climate Change, 
• (c) Shipping, 
• (d) Tourism, 
• (e) Urban Development, 
• (f) Drinking Water and Sanitation and Rural Development have been working together since June, 2014 to arrive at an action plan. 
• The concerned Ministers have nominated a Group of Secretaries to develop a draft action plan and have held periodical meetings to review the progress and provide guidance. The Group of Secretaries submitted its initial report on 21st July, 2014 and after taking into account the feedback received from the Hon’ble Ministers, the final report has been submitted on 28th August, 2014.

While the report is being examined in the Ministry, NMCG has been working in parallel on a draft strategy taking into account all these developments.

As already identified in the report of the GoS, the long-term vision will emanate from the Ganga River Basin Management Plan being prepared by the Consortium of 7 IITs, first version of which is likely to be available by the end of this year.

On a medium term basis, certain interventions both infrastructure and non-infrastructure need to be introduced to set the tone for implementation of long term vision as also take up so called “no regret” activities in the interim. 

Following are proposed to be taken up under Namami Gange:

(i) Nirmal Dhara- ensuring sustainable municipal sewage management

• Project prioritization in coordination with Ministry of Urban Development.
• Incentive for states to take up projects on Ganga Main-stem by providing an additional share of central grants for sewerage infrastructure.
• Uniform standards for both MoUD scheme and Namami Gange programme, 10 years mandatory O&M by the same service provider at par with NGRBA programme and PPP, Mandatory reuse of treated water
• Expanding coverage of sewerage infrastructure in 118 urban habitations on banks of Ganga- estimated cost by MoUD is Rs 51000 Crores

(ii) Nirmal Dhara- managing sewage from Rural Areas

• Mo DWS scheme for all Ganga bank Gram Panchayts (1632) free from open defecation by 2022, at a cost of Rs 1700 Crores as central share

(iii) Nirmal Dhara- managing Industrial discharge

• Making ZLD mandatory
• Rationalized water tariff to encourage reuse
• Real time water quality monitoring

(iv) Aviral Dhara

• Enforcing River Regulatory Zones on Ganga Banks
• Rational agricultural practices, efficient irrigation methods
• Restoration and conservation of wetlands

(v) Ensuring ecological rejuvenation by conservation of aquatic life and biodiversity

(vi) Promotion of Tourism and Shipping in a rational and sustainable manner

(vii) Knowledge Management on Ganga through Ganga Knowledge Centre leading to a Ganga University of River Sciences

However, to control the spread of pollution and to contain it in manageable limits certain interventions would be necessary in short term. 

Group of Secretaries under guidance of Hon’ble Ministers has identified following activities:

i) Scheme for rehabilitation and up-gradation of existing STPs along Ganga

ii) Ensuring 100% sewerage infrastructure in identified town alongside Ganga

iii) In situ sewage treatment in open drains

iv) Support for preparation of DPRs

v) River Front Management for Ghat’s developments in selected cities and towns

vi) Industrial pollution abatement at Kanpur on priority

vii) Action Plan for Char Dham Yatra –Public amenities, waste disposal and sanitation

viii) Capacity building of urban local bodies

ix) Afforestation – Conservation of Flora

x) Conservation of Aquatic life – special attention on Dolphin, Turtles and Ghariyals etc.

xi) Disposal of flowers and other puja material

xii) Ganga Vahini

xiii) GIS data and Spatial Analysis for Ganga basin

xiv) Study of communities depending on Ganga for their traditional livelihood

xv) National Ganga Monitoring Centre

xvi) Special guidelines for sand mining in Ganga

xvii) Assessment of Special Properties of Ganga Water

xviii) Communication and Public Outreach Activities

NRI Ganga Fund:-

• NRIs have been a very important contributor to the development process in India, in areas such as education, health and preservation of culture. In this context, to harness their enthusiasm to contribute towards the conservation of the river Ganga, NRI Fund for Ganga will be set up which will finance special projects. 
• NRI Ganga Fund could be setup under the aegis of Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs or Ministry of Finance with focus on funds sourcing and corpus management.
• Fund deployment/ appropriation could be made by NMCG under an approved Management Plan.

National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG)

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is a society registered in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

• It acted as implementation arm of National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. 
• NGRBA has since been dissolved with effect from the 7th October 2016, consequent to constitution of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council) under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986.

The Act envisages five tier structure at national, state and district level to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga as below:-

1. National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. 

2. Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga under chairmanship of Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. 

3. National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG)

4. State Ganga Committees and 

5. District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting river Ganga and its tributaries in the states. 

• NMCG has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee. 
• Both of them are headed by Director General, NMCG. 
• Executive Committee has been authorized to accord approval for all projects up to Rs.1000 crore. 
• Similar to structure at national level, State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) acts as implementing arm of State Ganga Committees. 
• Thus the newly created structure attempts to bring all stakeholders on one platform to take a holistic approach towards the task of Ganga cleaning and rejuvenation. 
• The Director General(DG) of NMCG is a Additional Secretary in Government of India. For effective implementation of the projects under the overall supervision of NMCG, the State Level Program Management Groups (SPMGs) are, also headed by senior officers of the concerned States.

Biofertilizers

Bio-fertilizers are living or biologically active products or microbial inoculants of bacteria, algae and fungi which are able to enrich the soil with nirogen (N), phosphorus (P) and organic matter etc.

Following are some of the important types of bio-fertilizers which can be considered for agro based industries.

• Rhizobium Biofertilizer:- 
• Rhizobium is a symbiotic bacteria forming root nodules in legume plants. 
• The nodules act as miniature nitrogen production factories in the fields. The nodule bacteria fix more nitrogen than  needed for the legume plant and the bacteria.
• The surplus fixed nitrogen is secreted into the field and fertilizes the soil.
• Rhizobium is more efficient than free living nitrogen fixing bacteria and can fix upto 200kg N/ha/year.

• Azotobactor Biofertilizer:-
• Azotobacter are aerobic free living nitrogen fixers. They grow in the rhizosphere (around the roots) and fix the atmospheric nitrogen non-symbiotically and make it available to particular cereals.
• These bacteria produce growth promoting hormones which helps in enhancing growth and yield of the plant.
• These are free living bacteria which grow well on a nitrogen free medium. 
• These bacteria utilize atmospheric nitrogen gas for their cell protein synthesis. This cell protein is then mineralised in soil after the death of Azotobacter cells thereby contributing towards the nitrogen availability of the crop plants.
• Azotobacter spp.,are sensitive to acidic pH, high salts, and temperature above 350C.
• There are four important species of Azotobacter viz. A.Chroococcum, A.agilis, A.paspali and A.vinelandii of which A.chroococcum is most commonly found in our soils.
• The species of Azotobacter are known to fix on an average 10 mg.of N/g of sugar in pure culture on a nitrogen free medium

• Azospirillium Biofertilizer:-
• The are aerobic free living nitrogen fixers which live in associative symbiosis.
• In this type of symbiosis bacteria live on the roots of the host plant and do not form any nodule with the roots.
• It increases crop yield and inoculation benefits crops.
• They also help the host plant by supplying growth hormones and vitamins.
• These bacteria are commonly used for preparation of commercial inoculants.
• Note:-
• Microbial inoculants also known as soil inoculants are agricultural amendments that use beneficial endophytes (microbes) to promote plant health. 
• Many of the microbes involved form symbiotic relationships with the target crops where both parties benefit (mutualism).
• While microbial inoculants are applied to improve plant nutrition, they can also be used to promote plant growth by stimulating plant hormone production
• Blue Green Algae:-
• Blue Green Algae (BGA or cyanobacteria) like Nostoc or Anabaena are free living photosynthetic organisms also capable of fixing the atmospheric nitrogen.
• In the flooded rice fields blue green algae serves as the nitrogen biofertilizer.
• When environmental conditions are just right, blue-green algae can grow very quickly in number. 
• Most species are buoyant and will float to the surface, where they form scum layers or floating mats. When this happens, we call this a "blue-green algae bloom."
• Azolla Biofertilizer:-
• Azolla is a water fern inside which grows the nitrogen fixing blue green algae Anabaena.
• It contains 2-3% nitrogen when wet and also produces organic matter in the soil.
• The Azolla Anabaena combination type biofertilizer is used in the whole world. 
• The only constraint in azolla is that it is an aquatic plant and water becomes a limiting factor in growing it particularly in the summer months.
• Phosphorus Solubilising Biofertilizer:-
• Phosphorus is an important element required for plant growth. 
• This element is needed for nodulation by rhizobium.
• Some micro-organisms are capable of of solubilising immobilised phosphorus  making it available to plants for absorption.
• Mycorrhizal Fungi Biofertilizer:-
• It acts as a biofertizer and occurs naturally on roots of the forest trees and crop plants.
• The fungi has the ability to dissolve and absorb phosphorus that plant roots can not readily absorb.
• In soils low in nutrients, there is an increased absorption of nutrients by plants infected with Mycorhhiza.

Mangroves

The word "Mangrove" is considered to be a combination of the Portuguese word "Mangue" and the English word "grove". 

• Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants of tropical and subtropical intertidal regions of the world. 
• The specific regions where these plants occur are termed as 'mangrove ecosystem'. These are highly productive but extremely sensitive and fragile. Besides mangroves, the ecosystem also harbours other plant and animal species.

In India, mangroves occur on the West Coast, on the East Coast and on Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

• The distribution of mangrove ecosystem on Indian coastlines indicates that the "Sundarban mangroves" occupy very large area followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands and Gulf of Kachch in Gujarat. Rest of the mangrove ecosystems is comparatively smaller.

• Increasing human population in coastal areas is resulting in increased pressure on mangrove ecosystems in many countries, with the growing demand for timber, fuelwood, fodder and other non-wood forest products (NWFPs)
• Anthropological pressures and natural calamities are the enemies of the ecosystem. Growing industrial areas along the coastlines and discharge of domestic and industrial sewage are polluting these areas. 

India has a long tradition of mangrove forest management. The Sundarbans mangroves, located in the Bay of Bengal (partly in India and partly in Bangladesh), were the first mangroves in the world to be put under scientific management.

The East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem (EGREE) encompassing the Godavari mangroves (321 km2) is the second largest area of mangroves along the east coast of  India (after Sundarbans). 

• The area is rich in floral and faunal diversity, and generates significant ecological and economic benefits such as shoreline protection, sustaining livelihoods and carbon sink services. 

There are 35 species of mangroves, of which 16 are true mangroves and the rest are associates of mangrove species. This includes one nearly threatened (IUCN) species (Ceriops decandra) and three rare species. 

There are important nesting sites for migratory turtle species, notably the endangered Olive Ridley turtle, the critically endangered Leatherback turtle and Green turtle.
The area serves as spawning grounds and as a sanctuary for the growth and development of numerous fin and shell fish. It is an Important Bird Area with a recorded population of 119 bird species, of which 50 are migratory. 

In recognition of its national and global biodiversity significance, a part of the EGREE area is gazetted as Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS). 

World Heritage Convention

World Heritage Convention:-

India is a member of World Heritage Convention responsible for listing of World Heritage Sites, which include both Cultural and natural sites. 

The World Heritage Convention is a Convention under the aegis of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

• Wild Life wing of the Ministry of Environment and Forests is associated with the conservation of the Natural World Heritage sites.

Currently, six natural World Heritage Sites have been recognized by  UNESCO in India, viz., 

1. Nanda Devi National Park, Uttarakhand 
2. Kaziranga National Park, Assam
3. Manas National Park, Assam
4. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
5. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal  
6. Apart from these, the Valley of Flowers National Park has also been included in the list of World Heritage Sites as an extension of Nanda Devi National Park.

Further, a serial cluster of following 39 sites from Western Ghats spread over 4 States have also been inscribed as World Heritage Sites:

Sub-cluster	Site	Site Element Name	Area (km2)	State
Agasthyamalai	1	Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve	895.00	Tamil Nadu
	2	Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary	171.00	Kerala
	3	Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary	128.00	Kerala
	4	Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary	53.00	Kerala
	5	Kulathupuzha Range	200.00	Kerala
	6	Palode Range	165.00	Kerala
		SUB-TOTAL	1,612.00
Periyar	7	Periyar Tiger Reserve	777.00	Kerala
	8	Ranni Forest Division	828.53	Kerala
	9	Konni Forest Division	261.43	Kerala
	10	Achankovil Forest Division	219.90	Kerala
	11	Srivilliputtur Wildlife Sanctuary	485.00	Tamil Nadu
	12	Tirunelveli (North) Forest Division (part)	234.67	Tamil Nadu
		SUB-TOTAL	2,806.53
Anamalai	13	Eravikulam National Park (and proposed extension)	127.00	Kerala
	14	Grass Hills National Park	31.23	Tamil Nadu
	15	Karian Shola National Park	5.03	Tamil Nadu
	16	Karian Shola(part of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary)	3.77	Kerala
	17	Mankulam Range	52.84	Kerala
	18	Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary	90.44	Kerala
	19	Mannavan Shola	11.26	Kerala
		SUB-TOTAL	321.57
Nilgiri	20	Silent Valley National Park	89.52	Kerala
	21	New Amarambalam Reserved Forest	246.97	Kerala
	22	Mukurti National Park	78.50	Tamil Nadu
	23	Kalikavu Range	117.05	Kerala
	24	Attapadi Reserved Forest	65.75	Kerala
		SUB-TOTAL	597.79
Talacauvery	25	Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary	102.59	Karnataka
	26	Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary	181.29	Karnataka
	27	Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary	105.00	Karnataka
	28	Padinalknad Reserved Forest	184.76	Karnataka
	29	Kerti Reserved Forest	79.04	Karnataka
	30	Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary	55.00	Kerala
		SUB-TOTAL	707.68
Kudremukh	31	Kudremukh National Park	600.32	Karnataka
	32	Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary	88.40	Karnataka
	33	Someshwara Reserved Forest	112.92	Karnataka
	34	Agumbe Reserved Forest	57.09	Karnataka
	35	Balahalli Reserved Forest	22.63	Karnataka
		SUB-TOTAL	881.36
Sahyadri	36	Kas Plateau	11.42	Maharashtra
	37	Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary	423.55	Maharashtra
	38	Chandoli National Park	308.90	Maharashtra
	39	Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary	282.35	Maharashtra
		SUB-TOTAL	1,026.22
		GRAND-TOTAL	7,953.15

  

In the 38^th Sessions of the World Heritage Committee meetings held at Doha, the Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh was tabled for discussion and was inscribed on to the World Heritage List.

Further, the UNESCO has given in principle concurrence to the proposal of India for establishment of UNESCO Category II Centre for Asia Pacific Region at "Wildlife Institute of India", Dehradun.

• Six new natural heritage sites, viz., Bhitarkanika Conservation area (Orissa), Desert National Park (Rajasthan),  Kangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim), Namdhapha National Park (Arunachal Pradesh), Neora Valley National Park (West Bengal), and Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch have been included in the tentative list of World Heritage Site nominations from India.