GANGA ACTION PLAN ( PHASE-I)

The towns situated on the bank of river Ganga having population more than one lac, were taken up in the first phase of Ganga Action Plan. Accordingly in the State of Uttar Pradesh GAP (Phase-I) projects were taken up in six towns, namely Haridwar-Rishikesh, Farrukhabad-Fatehgarh, Kanpur, Allahabad, Mirzapur and Varanasi. The Haridwar-Rishikesh towns have now gone to newly created state of Uttranchal.

A total of 106 schemes, costing Rs. 184.84 Crores, were executed in above six towns, out of which, 56 schemes (including Haridwar-Rishikesh) costing Rs. 160.84 Crores were Core sector schemes. The schemes were financed by Govt. of India through 100 percent grant-in-aid. The works at Mirzapur and Kanpur were executed against financial assistance from the Royal Netherlands Govt.

In the year 1985 about 645.30 mld. Sewage was flowing into the river Ganga in the Five towns covered in the GAP(Phase-I). Out of above, 397.70 mld. sewage ( which is almost 63% of the sewage generated) has been diverted through 27 pumping stations constructed in above five towns. For the treatment of sewage, 9 sewage treatment plants have been constructed with an installed capacity of 349.50 mld.. In addition to above, under Non core sector schemes total 11 crematoria, 12 sanitary latrines and 8 river front development works have also been constructed. The town wise details are tabulated below:

The operation and maintenance of assets created under Phase-I of the project is being done by the State Govt. through U.P. Jal Nigam and Local bodies. The expenditure on O&M was borne by the Govt. of India fully till 1990 and there after till March-1996 by GoI and GoUP on 50:50 basis. After March 1996, the O&M expenditure is being fully borne by GoUP. However, as per the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court, operation and maintenance cost of the Combined Effluent Treatment Plant (C.E.T.P.) constructed for the treatment of domestic sewage and waste water from leather industries in Kanpur, is to be borne 50 percent by Nagar Nigam Kanpur and 50 percent by the leather industries. The income from sale of treated effluent for irrigation and digested sludge as manure, and generation of electricity from STPs partly offsets the O&M expenditure of these assets.

The rivers in India have religious importance, also the river water is a major source of drinking water for different towns and villages in the country. Due to increase in pollution level of the river water, the drinking water schemes are subjected to different level of pollution, thus causing different diseases, to its consumers, also the cost of treatment for purification of polluted river water increases tremendously. In the year 1985, the Government of India, initiated the program for the abatement of river pollution. To start the river pollution control program, the sacred river Ganga, was taken up in the beginning. The program named Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1985 for conservation of the water quality of holy river Ganga. The objective of the Plan was to initiate action to prevent pollution of the river Ganga resulting due to direct discharge of domestic sewage and industrial waste, as also because of non point pollution due to cattle wallowing, washing of cloths and throwing of Carcasses or half burnt dead bodies etc. into the river.

• STATUS OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS UNDER RIVER ACTION PLAN.
• STATUS OF NON CORE ACTIVITIES UNDER RIVER ACTION PLANT.
• FINANCIAL STATUS OF RIVER ACTION PLAN.