Uma Bharti’s plan deserves cautious optimism
There is no reason to be sceptical of Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti's announcement that a new Act is being formulated for the speedy implementation of the Government's flagship Clean Ganga programme. But given how past efforts in this regard have fared, and even the incumbent regime's somewhat lacklustre performance in this sector, one may be forgiven for not being terribly excited about the news.
Remember, the first attempt to clean the river was made way back in 1986 when the Government of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi launched the Ganga Action Plan to cover 25 towns and cities across three States. It was closed in 2000 after it had gobbled up more than Rs462 crore and had precious little to show in terms of impact. A year later, an even more ambitious plan was launched — this time covering almost 100 settlements. More than Rs2,285 crore was earmarked for the project but it too was shut down in 2004. In 2009, the Rs7,000 crore-National Ganga River Basin Authority was constituted with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the helm.
The Authority made some moves — it put on hold a few previously approved projects, and declared the 130km stretch between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi as an eco-sensitive zone —but that's about it. In addition, there have been several smaller projects and efforts, such as the creation of a special economic vehicle, tie-ups with the private sector in India and abroad etc. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the Clean Ganga Mission or Namani Gange a priority of his Government.
So much so that the project finds special mention in the name of the Union Government's water ministry, which is the nodal agency for the Clean Indian Mission. Also, in the 2015 Budget, the Modi Government allocated a whopping Rs20,000 crore to be spent over five years for the clean-up project. Yet, despite all this effort and support, the project hasn't taken off as well as it should have. Perhaps, the new law will help by formalising the roles and responsibilities of the many stakeholders or it may make matters worse with additional legal complications.
Either way, these are early days and it is unfair to comment on the proposal before even a first draft has been prepared. The prudent approach here is one of cautious optimism. Successive Governments have tried many different things to clean up and conserve the holy river, and there's no harm in trying out yet another measure, this time taken through the legislative route. Notably, the idea of such an Act of Parliament that will only deal with the Ganga isn’t a new one. In January 2014, Prime Minister Singh's Office had directed the environment Ministry to frame such a law. However, the proposal didn't make much progress — until now, that is. This time around if the Act is indeed legislated, it will be the first of its kind.