A joint Meeting for addressing the status, issues, challenges and feasibility of synergization of Government schemes for taking the ‘Swachh Ganga: Gramin Sehbhagita’ programme to the next level was at Haridwar. The deliberations took place on themes of Ganga Gram- rural sanitation, bio-diversity conservation, afforestation and on eliciting active participation of the people at grass root.
Representatives from Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Wildlife Institute of India, Forest Research Institute, IIT Consortium, Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Ayush, State Pollution Control Board, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Ganga Task Force and State Programme Management Group (Uttrakhand) etc. attended the meeting.
Consensus were drawn on collaboration of major projects handled by Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Forest Research Institute (FRI) in coordination with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Ganga Task Force (GTF) and AYUSH. Furthermore, public participation and awareness being the essential components of the Namami Gange Programme will be looked after by active involvement of nodal officers from NYKS, GTF and AYUSH.
The views discussed and expressed by the stakeholders who participated in the meeting was helpful to give a better insight for formulization of further action and implementation plan in collaboration of various organizations with respect to afforestation and bio-diversity conservation of Ganga.
It may be recalled that a National level extensive stakeholder consultation and sensitization programme was held by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on 30th January, 2016 at New Delhi to facilitate interaction with various stakeholders. The programme witnessed overwhelming response, active participation of rural populace and august presence of Union Ministers, Chief Minister of Uttrakhand, approximately 1200 Gram Pradhans, various dignitaries, eminent policy makers, environmentalists, academicians, NGOs and communities etc.
Considering the success of the program and keeping in view the active involvement of stakeholders, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and NMCG has enthused and decided to organize such programmes in major cities on the banks of river Ganga.