Clean Ganga Mission clears 10 projects worth ₹ 2,000 crore

In a move aimed at giving a fillip to Ganga rejuvenation plan, the National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved ten projects in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to the tune of about Rs 2,033 crore.

Out of the total approved projects, eight projects pertain to sewage infrastructure and treatment, while one project is related to ghat development and the last one is about establishing Ganga Knowledge Centre. According to officials, the Water Resources Ministry projects all the ten projects in its 5th Executive Committee meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga.

As a gift to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from the Centre for joining hands with the BJP in Bihar, the state has got three major sewage infrastructure projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 1,461 crore in Barh, Kankarbagh and Digha, which would create additional sewage treatment capacity in Kankarbagh and Barh.

In West Bengal, the Centre has approved three projects at an estimated cost of Rs 495.47 crore. Out of the three approved projects, two pertain to sewage infrastructure while the third one is for river front development. Pollution abatement and rehabilitation work for river Ganga in Howrah and Tolly's Nullah (popularly known as Adi Ganga), a tributary of Ganga in Kolkata have been approved with total estimated cost of Rs 492.34 crore.

According to officials, the two sewage infrastructure projects would create additional sewage treatment capacity of 91 MLD in Kolkata. A detailed project report (DPR) for the renovation of Boral ferry and Boral bathing ghats in Nabadwip town of West Bengal has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 3.13 crore, the officials informed.

In Uttar Pradesh, sewage infrastructure work in Chunar under Mirzapur district has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 27.98 crore. Under the approved project, an STP of 2 MLD capacity would be created apart from interception and diversion of drains.