NMCG approves projects worth over Rs 1,900 crore for creating

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved projects worth Rs 1,917 crore for creating sewage treatment infrastructure in the river's four basin states aiming to curb pollution of its water there.

With the approval of these projects, 100 per cent sewage treatment facility will be made available for Haridwar, Rishikesh, Vrindavan, Varanasi, Allahabad and Delhi.

The projects concerned, to be implemented under Centre's 'Namami Gange' programme, were given nod during the third meeting of the NMCG's executive committee, the Union Water Resources Ministry said in a statement.

Among the projects approved include one aimed at intercepting, diverting and treating sewage in Allahabad's Naini, Phaphamau and Jhunsi sewerage zones at an estimated cost of Rs 767.59 crore.
 

"The projects would arrest flowing waste water of 18 drains into Ganga and Yamuna to ensure pollution-free water for bathing at Sangam during Ardh Kumbh mela 2019," the ministry said.

The NMCG cleared the Rs 744-crore projects including a 60-MLD STP and laying of sewerage lines in Pahari zone in Bihar's Patna.

Patna will now have a sewage treatment capacity of 200 MLD once the projects sanctioned are functional.

In Delhi, the authority has approved construction of seven prioritised 94 MLD-capacity STPs in Najafgarh area at a cost of Rs 344.81 crore under 'Maili Se Nirmal Yamuna' project initiated upon the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Tajpur Khurd (36 MLD), Jaffarpur Kalan (12 MLD), Khera Dabar (5 MLD), Hasanpur (12 MLD), Kakraula (12 MLD), Kair (5 MLD) and Tikri Kalan (12 MLD) are the locations where the project has been approved.

"With this, all planned projects in Delhi have been approved," the ministry said.

The NMCG has also sanctioned Rs 61.5 crore for afforestation purpose in five Ganga main stem states - Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The authority has until now approved projects costing over Rs 4,100 crore during the last three months in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi.