The experts spoke on various issues related to conservation of the Ganga at the first two-day consultation meeting for Uttarakhand on DPR preparation of forestry interventions for the Ganga began at the Forest Research Institute on Thursday.
Ganga is one of the sacred rivers and lifeline to millions of Indians. However, increased population and associated industrial development, construction of dams and deforestation have influenced the water flow regime adversely.
Furthermore, an increased dumping of waste water into the river has aggravated the problem by reducing the self-cleansing capacity of river through dilution maintained by ecological flow.
Uttarakhand with about 450 km length of the river Ganga has 14 drains which discharge 440 million litres of sewage per day into the river, it was stated.
FRI Silviculture division head Kunal Satyarthi gave a brief report about the project and its objectives while institute director and chief project coordinator PP Bhojvaid spoke on issues of concern in cleaning Ganga through forestry interventions citing considerable opportunities.
The ICFRE DDP (Research) GS Goraya spoke on threats to Himalayan rivers and the importance of new technologies for cleaning the Ganga while Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation managing director Srikant Chandola spoke of possible forestry interventions in preparation of detail project report for Ganga.
Various other experts and stakeholders also discussed their views on cleaning Ganga in technical sessions on experiences from Ganga cleaning efforts and future possibilities, opportunities and constraints for forestry interventions and community participation models for clean Ganga through forestry interventions. The final panel discussion and recommendations would take place on Friday.