NMCG chief reveals challenges in Ganga rejuvenation in his book `Ganga: Reimagining, Rejuvenating, Reconnecting'

The chief of National Mission for Clean Ganga, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra revealed the challenges they have been facing on their mission to clean and rejuvenate Ganga through his book `Ganga: Reimagining, Rejuvenating, Reconnecting'.

Birek Debroy, the chairman of PM's Economic Council, launched the book at an event in New Delhi on Thursday.

The book is authored by Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, the director-general of National Mission for Clean Ganga and Puskal Upadhyay, a senior bureaucrat who has worked with the NMCG.

"We thought of writing this book because we wanted to tell this story from a different point of view: What's happening about Ganga, what are the challenges, how enormous the challenges are and how the challenges have been overcome, could more be done in future and how these solutions could be sustained. Perhaps, this kind of account was lacking", said Rajiv Ranjan Mishra after the launch.

He said, "There has to be a reference point, there has to be a book which tells about the enormity of the challenge, different aspects and then how it is different to be tackled bit by bit as we flow along Ganga. Look at how we can connect people."

From the beginning, the NMCG had realized the importance of a radically different and holistic approach to resolve the "wicked problem", which not only included stakeholders from different strata of society with their needs and aspirations, but also the clash of ideas on the road ahead from different intellectuals and well-wishers.

Hence, the scope of the mission was expanded to include afforestation, tributaries clean-up, nurturing of wetlands, natural springs and redevelopment of old ghats.

The authors provided factual and realistic information about the developments for the cause of Ganga rejuvenation explaining basic concepts like environmental flow, rejuvenation as compared to cleaning and basin planning in a subtle manner, making anyone understand the issue from basics.

Rajiv Ranjan said, "The basic idea of this book is not targeting the government. It talks about government work, it talks about what people are doing, what communities are doing. So, I think the book is addressing all stakeholders and the government is just one small part of it."

The chapter titled "The Ganga in 2050: Clean, Free Flowing and still the Goddess of Millions" is the high point of the book, giving us a clear insight about a Ganga forever and lists challenges that would need to be addressed on the way to achieving its sustainability forever.

Puskal Upadhyay, the co-author of the book said, "2050, we have selected that period because that is a sizable time when the efforts start bringing results. So, whatever is being done today, in another 20-30 years they will start taking shape, they will have a physical impact on the river. We will see a clean free-flowing river as we have written in the book `And still the Goddess of the millions' So, the Ganga will reach that state".

He said, "Of course, there will be challenges that we have listed out because we have to keep innovating our ways of working as the challenges will also keep changing. So, if we keep working, we are sure that we will be able to see a clean, free-flowing and still the Goddess of the millions. That is how 2050 and beyond the Ganga will be".

Unlike many other treatises on this complex subject, the authors present the concepts, thoughts and facts with equal ease, linking myth and reality and presenting a factual status justifying an honest effort, practical achievements and realistic expectations.

The book is a very personal account of why the Ganga matters and an emotional take on the call of Ganga to get into the assignment makes their job a real one in an otherwise dry environment, and sound like a religion.

( With inputs from ANI )