Context:
Ganga Utsav 2024 organized recently by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) witnessed participation from several river cities under the River City Alliance.
River Cities Alliance (RCA):
- Launched by – Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
- A platform for Indian river cities to collaborate on sustainable urban river management.
- Key Themes – RCA focuses on 3 main areas – Networking, Capacity Building, and Technical Support.
- Initially started with cities in the Ganga basin, the RCA now includes cities beyond this region.
- Collaborators – National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA)
- Objectives –
- Information Exchange – Provide a platform for member cities to discuss and share information on sustainable urban river management.
- Policy Adoption – Work towards adopting and localizing national policies and instruments related to river management.
- Urban River Management Plans – Develop city-specific strategies and plans for sustainable urban river management.
Related Initiatives:
- Namami Gange Programme – An Integrated Conservation Mission aimed at reducing pollution and conserving and rejuvenating the National River Ganga.
- Ganga Action Plan – Launched in 1985 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, this was the 1st River Action Plan focused on improving water quality through the interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage.
- National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA) – Established in 2009 under Section-3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, by the Government of India.
- Clean Ganga Fund – Created in 2014 to support the cleaning of the Ganga, establishment of waste treatment plants, and conservation of the river’s biotic diversity.
- Bhuvan-Ganga Web App – A tool to engage the public in monitoring pollution entering the Ganga.
Source: PIB
Previous year question
Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds?
1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Heavy sand mining in riverbeds is associated with increased salinity in the river
