Dehradun/New Delhi: The Holy Ganga is breathing easier now.
If one goes by the reply given in the Parliament today by the Union Minister for state for Jal Shakti Bisheshwar Tudu, real action for the Jal Shakti is at Holy Ganga and Yamuna, where 'karamyogis' are in action cleaning the rivers.
It is another thing that the crores of Kanwaris leave behind thousands tonnes of trash behind at the Holy ghats after they take a holy dip in the river every year.
The Namami Gange Project, a vital national initiative, has implemented 450 projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 38,022.37 Crore till now.
Out of these, 270 projects have been completed. These projects include wastewater treatment, solid waste management, riverfront development, afforestation, and biodiversity conservation.
The government has taken 195 sewerage infrastructure projects, costing Rs. 31,344.13 Crore, to enhance the unpolluted flow of the Ganga and its tributaries.
These projects include the creation and rehabilitation of 6,173.12 MLD of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) capacity and a sewerage network of 5,253.64 km.
To combat pollution from domestic and industrial sources, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has identified industrial clusters and sanctioned five Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) projects.
Notably, the Mathura CETP project is operational with 50% recycling to member units, and other CETP projects are in progress.
The PRAYAG platform, initiated on April 20, 2023, provides real-time analysis of water quality, STP and CETP performance on the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
NMCG has conducted extensive public awareness campaigns, engaging a cadre of Ganga Doots, Ganga Praharis, and Ganga Mitra, totaling 45,000, 2,900, and 700, respectively.
Besides this. 139 District Ganga Committees (DGC) monitor and promote cleanliness at the district level. But how efficiently no one knows.
The committees conduct 4M meetings, with over 2,070 meetings held as of October 2023.
NMCG, in collaboration with other agencies and DGCs, has developed District Ganga Plans for four districts in the Ramganga Basin, fostering decentralized planning and public participation in river basin management.
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has undertaken comprehensive public awareness campaigns to foster a sense of responsibility and engagement among the public in efforts to clean and conserve the Ganga River.
Cadre of Ganga Doots(45,000 Nos), Ganga Praharis(2900 Nos) and Ganga Mitra (700 nos) involved in public participatory activities.
To promote the cleanliness of the Ganga River at the district level, 139 District Ganga Committees (DGC) have been constituted under the chairmanship of District Magistrates. 
NMCG together with other agencies in coordination with the selected DGCs have prepared District Ganga Plans for 4 districts in Ramganga Basin.
These are Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand , Shahjahanpur, Moradabad and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh using a common methodology and River Basin Management framework developed by NMCG with technical support under the India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP).
These help in fostering decentralized planning and better participation of people in river basin management.
When NMCG will be completed and what will be the cost, the Minister didn't not say anything.
