Disaster management. what are causes of pollution? Case study and Ganga Action Plan.

1. Disaster Management
Project
Ganga – An Introduction
Submitted to: - Gauri Aglave Ma’am
Submitted by: -
Yastika Joshi – 1901010024 – B.tech. CSE
Aman Kumar – 1901010034 – B.tech. CSE
Tanul Rai – 1901010035 – B.tech. CSE
Milind Udbhav – 1901010044 – B.tech. CSE

2. Introduction
The Ganges or Ganga is a transboundary river of Asia which
flows through India and Bangladesh. The 2,704 km (1,680 mi)
river originates from the Gangotri Glacier of western Himalayas
in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east
through the Gangetic Plain of India and Bangladesh, eventually
emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
The Ganges is a lifeline to millions who live along its course. It is
a sacred river and worshipped as the goddess Ganga in
Hinduism. It has been important historically; many former
provincial or imperial capitals (such as Prayagraj, Dhaka,
Baharampur, Bikrampur, Kampilya, Kannauj, Kara, Kashi,
Kolkata, Murshidabad, Munger, Patliputra, and Sonargaon) have
been located on its banks.

3. Causes of Pollution
Human waste
Industrial waste
Religious
traditions

4. Case Study 1:
Uttar Pradesh :
Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi

5. • Alone Uttar Pradesh contribute 90% of ganga water pollution of which In the Kanpur-
Varanasi stretch, 3,000 MLD of domestic wastewater is discharged into the river which is
roughly half of its total load.
• Some of the statistics (taken from CPCB, Pollution Assessment: River Ganga (July, 2013)) of
the lower stretch of Uttar Pradesh, i.e., Kanpur-Allahabad- Varanasi are following :

7. Cleaning Efforts taken So
far by the Government
• Ganga Action Plan
• The National Ganga River Basin
Authority (NRBA)
• Save Ganga Movement
• Namami Ganga

8. Ganga Action plan
 GAP was launched on June 14, 1986 by Rajiv
Gandhi at Varanasi in order to reduce the
pollution load on the river
 But the efforts to decrease the pollution level
in the river became more. Therefore, this plan
was withdrawn on 31 March 2000, after
spending Rs 901.71 Crore.
 Million litres of sewage was targeted to
intercepted, diverted and treated. Phase-II of
the program was approved in stages from 1993
onwards, and induced the following tributaries
of the Ganges: Yamuna, Gomati, Damodar &
Mahananda.

9. • National River Basin Authority
National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is a financing, planning, implementing, monitoring and coordinating
authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the water resource ministry of India. The mission of the organization is
to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July
2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Water Resources,
River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, formerly Ministry of Water Resources (India).
• Save Ganga Movement
Save Ganga Movement is a widespread Gandhian non-violent movement supported by saints and popular social
activists across the Indian States Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in support of a free Ganga. The movement is supported
by Ganga Seva Abhiyan, Pune-based National Women's Organization (NWO) besides those of many other like-
minded organizations and with the moral support from many religious leaders, spiritual and political, scientists,
environmentalists, writers and social activists.
• Namami Ganga
Under National Mission for Clean Ganga, Namami Gange Programme was launched in 2014. This is a Flagship program
under Union Government. A budget of 20,000 crore was given with the twin objective of effective abatement of pollution,
conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. Unlike previous projects for cleaning Ganga, Namami Gange is
most comprehensive river conservation program.

10. Promote only
decentralized
sewage treatment
plants (dSTP)
STPs need to be
verified on
efficiency, reliability
and technology
parameters.
Develop and
restore local
storages (ponds,
lakes, wetlands)
Bring back glory to
all natural drains
that empty into
river.
Identify, define
and protect ‘river
– corridors’
Start restoring lower
order streams and
smaller tributaries
Map the entire
looped length of
each and every
tributaries
Restore base
flows through
groundwater
recharge
Defined the
desired ecological
flow regime(s)
Evolve new and
innovative ways
to generate
sufficient
revenues.

11. Case Study 2:
Uttarakhand

12. Irresponsibility from Dams is
polluting river Ganga
• Uttarakhand has 98 operating hydropower projects (of all sizes) with a total installed
capacity of 3,598.7 MW, around 41 hydropower projects under-construction with a
combined capacity of 2,378 MW, and about 197 planned projects with a capacity of
21,212.8 MW.
• The WII conducted the study on the cumulative ecological impacts of 70 hydropower
projects. Its report, which was made public on April 16, 2012, concluded that the 24
dams in the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi River basins should be scrapped as they will
cause irrevocable harm to the biodiversity in Uttarakhand.
• The problem with the dams is their location in a high or very high biodiversity value
area, some of them at elevations above 2,200-2,500 metres. These altitudes come in
the paraglacial and glacial zones.

13. • The State of Uttarakhand is a part of the Ganga basin
and rivers suffer from several degradations apart from
dams in high places, including extensive pollution from
untreated sewage.
• It says that in the upper reaches of the river — where
the oxygenating abilities of the river are the highest —
there are growing signs of contamination. This
suggests that even here, water withdrawal for
hydroelectricity is endangering the health of the
Ganga.
• There are four negative impacts of the Hydropower
Projects on the pollution downstream. First the fishes
which clean up the water are harmed. Secondly, the
Coliphages which eat the Coliforms get reduced.
Thirdly, poison is developed in the pool downstream of
the Hydropower Dam. Fourthly, stagnant water behind
the Dam and the turbines Damage the spiritual
charges that are brought from the upstream.

14. Kedarnath Flood Incident
• From 14 to 17 June 2013, Indian state of Uttarakhand and near by
received heavy rainfall.
• The rainfall was above benchmark which is above 375 percent.
• A multi-day cloudburst ,centered on the state Uttarakhand caused
devastating floods and landslides.
• Due to Continuous Rain the Chorabari Glacier melted and this triggered
the flooding of the Mandakini river which led to heavy floods near
Gobindghat, Kedar Dome, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand.

15. • From 14 to 17 June 2013, the Indian state of Uttarakhand and adjoining
areas received heavy rainfall, which was about 375% more than the
benchmark rainfall during a normal monsoon.
• This caused the melting of Chorabari Glacier at the height of 3800 meters,
and eruption of the Mandakini River which led to heavy floods near
Gobindghat, Kedar Dome, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand.
• The upper Himalayan territories of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are
full of forests and snow-covered mountains and thus remain relatively
inaccessible. They are home to several major and historic Hindu and Sikh
pilgrimage sites besides several tourist spots and trekking trails. Heavy
rainfall for four consecutive days as well as melting snow aggravated the
floods.
Cause of the Disaster

16. Effects on Kedarnath
• Although the Kedarnath Temple itself was not damaged, its
base was inundated with water, mud and boulders from the
landslide, damaging its perimeter.
• Many hotels, rest houses and shops around the temple in
Kedarnath township were destroyed, resulting in several
casualties. Most of the destruction at Kedarnath was caused by
a sudden rapid melting of ice and snow on the Kedarnath
Mountain, 6 km (3.7 mi) from the temple, which flooded the
Charbari lake (upstream) and then Kedarnath.
• The temple was flooded with water resulting in several deaths
due to drowning and panic-driven stampede.
• Even after a week, dead bodies had not been removed from
Kedarnath town, resulting in water contamination in the
Kedarnath valley and villagers who depend on spring water
suffered various types of health problems like fever, diarrhea.
• The Uttarakhand Government announced that due to the
extensive damage to the infrastructure, the temple will be
temporarily closed to regular pilgrims and tourists for a year or
two, but the temple rituals will still be maintained by priests
The Temple opened for pilgrims on Sunday, 4 May 2014.

17. • Role of Media Pre disaster:
• The role of media is to disseminate information at all stages of Disaster.
• Awareness and information to people.
• Promotion of training aspects. Keep a check on various agencies.
• Planning and encourage people to face the situation.
• Removing fear of unknown.
• Building partnerships between media and other organizations.
• Role of Media During disaster:
• Media Organizations take lead in relief and rehabilitation projects.
• The media plays the roles of relaying the measures being taken.
• Providing latest information and update.
• Broadcast for the assistance of the Medical, Police, Civil Defence.
• Make Announcements of the disaster and the preventive measures to be taken by the search & rescue.
• Food, water, medicines and other immediate need material. Sanitation and hygiene in the effective area
and camps.
• Identify needy spots and cautioning the affected people of the do’s & don’ts. Establishing contacts,
informing and assuring the affected ones of the assistance and the measures of relief.
• Role of Media Post Disaster:
• Monitoring re-settlement. Technical and material aid in reconstruction.
• Providing financial aid.
• Mobilization of State, National and International Resources.
• Thus Media plays an informative role in pre disaster, during disaster and past disaster stage.

18. Case Study 3:
Bihar

19. Causes
 The main causes of water pollution in the Ganga river are the disposal of
human sewage and animal waste, increasing population density, and disposal
of industrial waste into the river.
 There was no proper treatment in low lying area during the flood, the people
(poor) who built unauthorized buildings faced many problems.
 Establishment of large number of industries also contribute in increasing
pollution in river Ganga.
 A lot of diseases result from drinking or being in contact with contaminated
water, such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery or skin infections.
 The toxins released in Ganga like cyanide, zinc, lead, copper, cadmium and
mercury, disturbed the marine life in large amount.

20.  Traces of ​fertilizers and ​pesticides are ​wasted into the ​ nearest water-​bodies at the ​onset of the ​monsoons
or ​whenever there ​are heavy ​showers. As the ​point of entry ​of such ​agricultural ​inputs is ​diffused throughout
the ​river basin, ​they are termed ​as non-point ​sources of ​pollution.
 Cutting down of trees and concreting over large areas generates an acceleration of flows which does not give
enough time for water to infiltrate and be purified by the ground. This is an indirect reason of pollution of
Ganga.
 ​Carcasses of ​cattle and ​other animals ​are disposed in ​the rivers. ​Dead bodies are ​cremated on the ​river
banks. ​Partially burnt ​bodies are also ​flung into the ​river.
Volume of wastewater
generated from different
industries in India.
Comparison of pollution load
generated from domestic and
industrial sources.

21. Lateral shift in River
• Lateral shifting of the river is a typical characteristic of any tropical river.
But, at the same time, what has happened with Ganga, especially in and
around Patna, is definitely manmade. Too much extraction of sand and
building of brick kilns has led to the shifting of the river away from the city.
• The sand mining and dumping by brick kilns affected the flow of the Ganga
river and its tributaries like Son and Ghaghara near Patna.
• Excessive mining at the mouth of river Son which meets Ganga near Patna
has also caused the change in flow. The mining has eroded a lot of villages
on the left side and deposited all the soil on the right, and a vast stretch of
land has been created.

23. EFFECTS OF GANGA POLLUTION
Effect of the pollution in river direct observed in fish. In the GANGA river fish become
extinct .
Due to pollution in Ganga the Dolphins in the river has the population of only 2000 and
is now an endangered specie .
The effect of the pollution increase the organic matter in river water.
Presence of toxic chemical in water .
Impair light penetration due to oil spill.
The effect of water pollution strongly impact the balance of nature , which ultimately
impacts all human.
Harms the food chain : Breaks the link of food chain .
Spread of disease: Cause cholera ,Typhoid infection diarrhea etc.
Affect body organ: The consumption of highly contaminated water can cause harm to
human heart and kidney.

24. Steps that can be taken
Pre – Disaster
• Industrialisation activities like mining and dumping can be avoided near river course to
avoid the shift in the flow of river.
Post – Disaster
• Only enormous engineering efforts can prevent a river from switching to a new channel,
or restore a former river course.

25. Demographies Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh Bihar
Material Cause of the
Pollution
Cloud Burst and overflow
of water levels in river
Ganga.
Waste disposal of
effluents into the river.
Excessive mining of sand
and dumping by brick
kilns.
Substances responsible
None
High Levels of Arsenic and
Mercury are responsible
for contamination
Loss of sand from the bed
of the river is responsible
for the change in flow of
the river.
Aftereffects Floods and Landslides River is contaminated and
polluted with harmful
acids and metalloids.
River has shifted away
from the city due to
which rise in the air
pollution is also
witnessed.
Steps taken for the
betterment
Awareness and
Sensitisation
Sewage waste water
treatment

26. Bibliography
 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19475705.2014.949877
 https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/ganga-pollution-rose-in-uttarakhand-
in-2014-18-no-change-in-up-bihar-wb-119012100193_1.html
 https://scroll.in/article/923434/pollution-and-sand-mining-have-caused-the-ganga-to-shift-away-
from-patna
 https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/water/10-critical-steps-for-ganga-revival-68482
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331047727_River_Ganga_pollution_Causes_and_failed
_management_plans_Correspondence_on_Dwivedi_et_al_2018_Ganga_water_pollution_A_poten
tial_health_threat_to_inhabitants_of_Ganga_basin_Environment_International_11