58th Executive Committee Meeting of NMCG approves vital projects on Biodiversity Conservation
Advancing Rescue System for the Protection of Stranded Ganges River Dolphins with an estimated budget of Rs. 1 crore
Specialised rescue vehicle, ‘Dolphin Ambulance’, to assist dolphins in distress
Conservation of endangered turtles in the Ganga basin in Uttar Pradesh approved
Vital project for assessing the Environmental flow of the Chambal, Son, Damodar
and Tons rivers with an estimated budget of Rs. 11 crores
Third season of the travelogue series "Rag-Rag Mein Ganga - Ek Jeevan
Dhara" was approved
The 58th
Executive Committee meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
approved various vital projects. The meeting was chaired by Rajeev Kumar Mital,
Director-General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga. These projects aim to
take significant steps towards the conservation of the Ganga River and its
aquatic life.
A vital
project for assessing the Environmental flow of the Chambal, Son, Damodar and
Tons rivers has been approved by the Executive Committee. With an estimated
budget of Rs. 11 crore, the objective of this project is not only to evaluate
the environmental flow of these rivers but also to prepare hydrological and
hydrodynamic models that allow scientific evaluation of flow systems. This will
involve studying the existing water stream and natural flow patterns, which
will not only improve water quantity and quality but also document the
biodiversity within these river systems, ensuring that their ecosystems remain
balanced and rich.
An ambitious project has been approved for conservation
of the Ganga River Dolphin. The project titled 'Advancing Rescue System for the
Protection of Stranded Ganges River Dolphins' has an estimated budget of Rs.1
crore. It aims to develop a specialized rescue vehicle, the ‘Dolphin
Ambulance’, to assist dolphins in distress. Additionally, the project will
focus on raising awareness for dolphin conservation and community capacity
building through training.
An innovative and highly significant project for the
Conservation of endangered turtles in the Ganga basin in Uttar Pradesh has also
been approved. The objective of this initiative is not only to rehabilitate
endangered turtle species but also to reintroduce three highly threatened
species, alongside establishing a Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool at the
National Chambal Sanctuary. This project is estimated to cost Rs. 78.09 lakh.
The rehabilitation of the 50 MLD STP (Million litre per
day Septage Treatment Plant) at Keorapukur in Kolkata has been approved with a
revised budget of Rs. 114.27 crore, up from the initial Rs. 67.06 crore. This
critical project is a major step towards improving water purification processes
in Kolkata and ensuring strict adherence to environmental standards. The
project includes provision for 15 years of operation and maintenance, ensuring
its long-term success.
In Bardhaman, West Bengal, a significant step has been
taken with the revised approval of the Integrated Septage Treatment Plant
project. This project has now been sanctioned with a revised budget of Rs.
10.35 crore, up from the previous Rs. 6.46 crore. Under this project, a 50 KLD
(Kilo litre per day) capacity FSTP (Faecal sludge treatment plant) will be
constructed, which includes not only the establishment of the plant but also
provisions for its operation and maintenance for five years.
During the meeting, a proposal for the third season of
the travelogue series "Rag-Rag Mein Ganga - Ek Jeevan Dhara" was
approved. This new season will present the importance of the Ganga and the
conservation efforts from a fresh perspective. The season will focus on
ecological balance, protection of aquatic life, eco-tourism, cultural heritage,
and promoting active community involvement. Spanning 16 episodes in Hindi, this
series will showcase the incredible journey of Ganga’s rejuvenation, including
the conservation of rare aquatic creatures like Ganga dolphin and gharial, and
the protection of natural resources. This series, produced at a cost of
approximately Rs. 6.25 crore will be an effort to showcase India’s invaluable
heritage associated with the Ganga River on a global platform. Viewers across
the nation will be able to watch the series on Doordarshan.
The meeting was attended by the Richa Mishra, Joint
Secretary & Financial Advisor of the DoWR, RD&GR, Ministry of Jal
Shakti, Shri Nalin Srivastava, Deputy Director General, NMCG, Anup Kumar
Srivastava, ED (Technical), SP Vashishth, ED (Admin), Bhaskar Dasgupta, ED
(Finance), and Nandini Ghosh Project Director SPMG West Bengal.
