Cleaning of Ganga

It is Swami Vivekanand who said: " Give me 100 young Indians, I would transform India"

Ganga drains out not only the water received by melting of snow from Himalayan glaciers but also the rain waters collected along its entire route depending on the season and monsoon from time to time. This activity goes on for ages. The human beings and the animals survived on its banks for innumerable years. It's intrinsic quality and religious significance need no elaboration for an Indian citizen.

Till at least one hundred years back, the activities of the human settlements along its course had not created any major sources of pollution luckily, thanks to the limited use of water and the resultant sewage. Although the human numbers multiplied and the quantum of usage of water increased tremendously over the last few decades, the citizens failed to protect the clean waters from high doses of pollutants. Things have really taken a very bad shape the moment industries sprang up  in and around the river Ganga  and started adding their own share of polluting agents beyond one's imagination. It's major tributary Yamuna too carries tons and tons of sewage and chemical wastes and joins Ganga near Allahabad making things worse. Along with these unending sources of pollution the human corpses floated along the waters after the funeral rites near the Varanasi Ghats complete the cycle of total pollution  to the famous river Ganga making it unusable by any scientific and hygienic standards.  

The BJP government led by PM Sri Narendra Modi has rightly taken up the project of Ganga-cleaning in right earnest. Probably a team of officials from concerned ministries and departments have been pressed into service. The top team from Delhi would be able to earmark funds and equipments and also put in place a typical model of development but there is no guarantee  that it won't end up like the previous attempts in the past.

The alternative approach which I envisage would comprise the following components for proper execution of Ganga Project:

Two major teams - 

1) one is to cover the stretch of river Yamuna from Delhi to Allahabad 

2) and the other is to cover river Ganga from Allahabad to Varanasi.

Like Swami Vivekanand, I too seek the help of 100 young Indian officers to test my ability  to clean Ganga with the full support of the Prime Minister. 

Each team to comprise of 50 IAS officers and 50 engineers - selected from across the country on a voluntary basis and put under two highly qualified and committed officials with rich experience (around 50 -65 years in age) both physically and mentally fit for leading the projects for at least next five years.

Process of implementation:

Make a survey of all the effluents and identify their intensity and quantum of flow into the river for six months at least including a monsoon.

Take steps to divert them to a comparatively longer distance already selected and kept ready for the intake and permanent treatment. It would simultaneously involve construction of permanent drains on a massive scale throughout the length and breadth of the towns on the banks with large scale investment of funds.

Take the help of religious leaders and create alternative cremation grounds near Varanasi and provide for the cremation with Ganga water -to satisfy Hindu belief and tradition without spoiling the river waters. 

Widening of the lanes and roads leading to the Ghats with proper alternative accommodation provided for the occupants by erecting multi-storied apartments and condominiums in the neighbourhood.

Strictly closing down the polluting industrial units near the river and shifting them to alternative sites partly compensated by the state for their rehabilitation.

Offer for voluntary service  

I am willing to relocate myself and settle down on the banks of Varanasi Ghats for a period of five years - to lead a team of officials put in charge of Varanasi town with Re. One as monthly honorarium and a small accommodation of two-room tenement/apartment for stay with a chauffeur driven car for mobility at government cost.

Qualifications:

"Shramdan in laying of kutchha roads and cleaning of drains in dalit colonies with the help and manual work (scavenging) of ladies and gents from Lions Club and Rotary Club on Gandhi Jeyanti days when I was collector in two districts and the divisional commissioner in Sagar revenue division.

Cleaning of Sagar lake twice as collector (1979-82) and commissioner ( 1990-92) at Sagar on the basis of shramdan due to nonavailability of paid labour even during the drought conditions ( labour easily engaged in bidi-making)

Received an award from international Rotary Club Movement for public service at Sagar.

Dr P.Raghavan

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