Prof. Manohar Khushalani with co-panelists Mahamandaleshwar Martand Puri and Mr. Rajya Sarai discusses the issue of cleaning Ganga on a live program conducted by News24.

Cleaning of the life-giving river Ganga has been a hot topic for so long, that it doesn’t even surprise anymore. With thousands of crores been spent on achieving this goal, we also lost Prof. G.D. Agrawal, a.k.a Swami Sanand, our Ganga Putra who lost his life trying to fight for it. For 111 days he sent letters to the government to clean the river, stop the construction of dams on it and make better rules and regulations but was left answered and his health deteriorated. 

The idea of eco-flow has been accepted by the government and as soon as it gets implemented, Prof. G.D. Agarwal will get his much-deserved homage, pointed Sarai. He also adds that his heart-attack must be investigated as it could be the result of feeding him some kind of slow poison and not the hunger strike. 

Ganga Action Plan was made in 1886 and no positive effect has been witnessed since then. Khushalani adds that we don’t lack the idea of how to improve the situation, but the approach towards achieving the goal should be honest.  

Ganga is not just a river but the soul of India, and today its a matter of shame for Indians says Martand Puri Ji. He adds that politics only cares about votes and the parties only ask for votes in the name of Ganga. He also demands that polluting Ganga should be considered National Crime if people call Ganga our National River.

After this, general people listening to this discussion were asked to give their views. Some say that the government has been deaf to the messages of people. Others say that people are also equally at fault and they need to work with the government. Some also demand a clear cut detailed declaration of where the budget money was used as they feel it might have been embezzled. 

The feeling of national responsibility is dying day by day. It has been over 30 years, many plans like Ganga Action Plan, Ganga Safai Yojana, Namami Gange, etc under a budget of more than thousands of crores were initiated and the problem remains the same. According to the Supreme Court, if this is the pace at which the situation is handled, it will take more approximately 200 years to clean Ganga. It’s the collective responsibility of the citizens and the government to save our National River. 

For more detailed visit the link : https://youtu.be/GW11GwXHSpI

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BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan

Channel One’s half-hour program where Prof. Manohar Khushalani elaborated on how to tackle the water crisis in Delhi in a holistic fashion. Recorded in Channel One Studio in Noida, UP in May 2013

With the rising temperatures in Delhi, the need and demand for water are also rising. The water supply in the capital is becoming worse day by day. Even after multiple promises made by the government, the pressing issue still remains and is in fact growing.

There are many ways in which the situation can be tackled but planning is required. The demand and supply have to be met. The amount of groundwater used is currently more than what is being percolated back. Most of Delhi is located on a hill and groundwater has a little to no existence there. Even the villages where water used to be abundant have very less water now.

Delhi Jal Board has introduced a GPS tracking system for the tankers to prevent stealing and black marketing. The government is also working on directing the water in the right canals which will increase the percentage of water that can be used. The system has been made but even after multiple complaints and requests, there’s no action being taken regularly.

Prof. Manohar Khushalani adds some solutions to the problems. He states that the water level was high years back even when Delhi was a hilly area. So there might have been some mismanagement behind the issue at hand today.

Sewage treatment is also very necessary because otherwise rivers get polluted by the sewage. Sewage farms have been replaced by construction of buildings. Dilution of water has become impossible after people started covering the gutters. These stormwater drains have been made by using public tax money and no one has the right to block them. A formal penalty will be the best solution to this problem.

The calls received in the panel discussion shows how people are frustrated with the situation. They usually get dirty water, which happens because the mainline gets mixed with the sewage line. One caller suggests that an RO system or any water-purifier system can be used in a locality. Jal Board needs to make sure that the voices of people are heard so that better decisions can be made in regards to providing clean water.

For more details visit the following link : https://youtu.be/ppQ-9nAdu70

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BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan

Prof. Manohar Khushalani appeared Live, as a Panelist in the Lok Sabha TV Program INSIGHT on, Monday, 18th June 2018 at 1 pm and again at 4 pm. The discussions were on Niti Aayog’s report, titled ‘Composite Water Management Index’ (CWMI). An intense and productive discussion was held on issues confronting the nation concerning the water crisis in India and the world. Dr. T. Haque, from Niti Ayog, was Khushalani’s co-panelist. Pratibimb Sharma was the Anchor of the Program

According to Niti Aayog’s report on water scarcity published in 2018, India is going through the worst water crisis situation it has ever seen. More than sixty crores of its population are facing this issue and around two lakh die every year. This report discusses the plans made by the government to curb this issue and the position they have reached to achieve the goal in the predicted timeline. This has been done in order to make a competitive framework between the states to keep a check on where they stand and what they can do to get to a better situation.

Twenty-one cities including Indore, Bhopal, and NDMC area have switched to the cleaner city lists after constant efforts. According to the rankings, 5 states – Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are working the most towards fixing the situation. Their practices have been mentioned in the report as an inspiration for other states to see and apply. These ranks have been given on the basis of 9 key areas, for example, the state with best groundwater plans has been given 15 points, improvement in lakes and other water bodies is given 5 points, and so on.

The discussion takes us through the gaps between what the report discusses and the major issues that need to be tackled. The report informs us about what the states have done by far but will this help to intercept the problems that lie in front of us in time?

Prof. Manohar Khushalani then adds that the country is receiving the required amount of rainwater, but the problem is that it is not managed well by the government and the citizens. Reasons being lack of awareness among citizens, constant fighting between states, and inability or lack of knowledge to conserve rainwater. We are a lucky nation to have this huge amount of rainfalls spread across the country but we lack proper planning. One holistic approach is needed towards making and managing proper schemes.

According to Dr. T Haque, awareness has increased amongst citizens in the civil society and they are taking steps to increase the water harvesting practices but facts say that leakages at houses contribute to a large percentage of water being wasted.

Khushalani also talks about the 70 percent water being contaminated as mentioned in the report. It is very important that the water that goes below the ground is being filtered. The water below the ground is connected. So, it is very important to monitor water harvesting as well.

Talking about the utilization of water among farmers, when they were given the free electricity incentive they started using groundwater more than required. Now, when they are asked to use less water or practice micro-irrigation to grow their crops, they have no incentive to be drawn to this new practice. This is a very big area where the government can focus on. Even for the citizens, this is a big question that can come up, what’s in it for me?

There has been a lack of vision despite the efforts taken by the government. The state and the central government needs to be aligned to make better decisions. It is very much possible as some of the decisions taken in the past have proved to be very fruitful. The report has helped in creating awareness in terms of where the states stands and the positive impact of this will be seen in the coming future. This report with the inputs of people will help create a better understanding of what more needs to be done in order to solve the crisis at hand.

For more information please visit the link : https://youtu.be/hohvMVZvPcQ

Green India Mission is aimed to protect, restore and enhance India’s diminishing forest cover and respond to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures. This OneVorld video gives us more information on the same.

Green India Mission is affiliated under the National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC). Formally launched in February 2014. It aims to increase the forest cover by 5 million hectares and increase the quality of the existing forests in 10 years. A wonderful initiation by the government for protecting our dear nature and ecosystem.

A quick look into the goals of Green India Mission –

1. Improvement in quality of forest cover and ecosystem
2. Eco-restoration
3. Improvement in forest and tree cover in urban areas
4. Management of public forest by community
5. Diversification of forest-based livelihoods

BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi

This OneVorld video talks about National Water Mission which is affiliated under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

National water mission was launched in 2009 in India which aimed at developing a framework to increase water use efficiency by 20%. The overall objective is ”conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its more equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management”. The mission aims at the recycling of wastewater using modern techniques.

This project will be organized through Inter-Sectoral Groups in India including related Ministries, Ministry of Finance, The Planning Commission, Experts from industry, Academia, and Civil society.

The development of the overall framework includes recycling of wastewater, low-temperature desalination technologies, basin-level management strategies, new regulatory structures, expanding irrigation, recharging of underground water sources, drip, ridge and furrow irrigation.

The OneVorld video explains a scheme started by the Delhi state government to curb rising air pollution levels in Delhi.

Odd-Even Scheme: Drivers of the private vehicles may be allowed to drive, park or purchase gasoline on alternating days, according to whether the last digit on their license plate is even or odd.

AIM: The scheme aimed to reduce pollution and smog in Delhi

Phases of Odd-Even: The scheme was implemented from January 1, 2016. Re-implemented for the third time on November 11, 2019.

Results–

1. Less traffic pollution
2. Less road congestion
3. Increase average car speed
4. Less fuel usage
5. Increase public awareness

LEARNING: Start using public transport and car-pooling.

Save Delhi from pollution. ACT TODAY!

BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi

This OneVorld video discusses a plan for the implementation of the conservation and management of water resources in India.

Proposed By: GN Kathpalia and Rakesh Kapoor

Timeline :

1. The first national policy was created in September 1987
2. Updated in April 1, 2002, by National Water Resources Council
3. This was followed by an update in 2012

What is the Water Action Policy 2020 ? Is there a need for this alternative ? How do we conserve, manage, save, maintain and utilise these resources ? How will this plan help in decision making by the authorities ?

So, what is the Water Action Policy ?

Water Resources in India, for now, is being managed by central and state government mostly. The plan suggests that there should be a shift in the work division at the level of local communities also. This requires the setting up of different community organizations like Watershed Management Associations(WMAs), Water Users Association (WUAs), JFM, RWAs.

Key concepts in the plan for water conservation and management are drinking and domestic use of water, water pollution, watershed management, flood and drainage management, underground water conservation, irrigation, cultivation, hydropower, industrial and thermal power management, sectoral allocation, navigation, demand management, and resources assessment.

Implementation –

1. Partnership with communities in Water Resource Management
2. Changes in the institutional structure
3. Implementation of water-shed projects
4. Legal changes
5. Project implementation
6. Financing projects and water service charges
7. Maintenance and modernisation
8. Action program and important implementation aspects
9. Research and training

BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi

Air Pollution has always been a major concern in the Delhi NCR region. The air quality in Delhi is the worst of all the cities in the world. In general, vehicle pollution and overpopulation are one of the main reasons for the pollution problem in Delhi. Political corruption and lack of will of the political parties is also one of the main causes of pollution.

The reason for the sudden rise in pollution is due to various factors like crop burning, cold weather, and firecrackers. The poor air quality of Delhi has adverse effects on the people of Delhi. According to Wikipedia, 2.2 million children have irreversible lung damage. Also, air pollution can lower children’s immune systems making them prone to disease.

This OneVorld video gives us more insight on the same.

BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi

This informative OneVorld video gives us some insights into the Ganga Pollution. Ganga is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. It flows through over 100 cities with a population in lakhs and takes heavy toxic metals like lead and copper. The average BOD level of the river around the year is 38 mg/L which is a lot more than the bar of the severely polluted rivers. However, many cleanup efforts have been made to clean the river Ganga. One of the main was Ganga Action Plan which was launched by Rajiv Gandhi in 1986 on which 862.59 crore rupees were spent. Its main objective was to treat the domestic sewage and prevent the toxic industrial chemical waste from being dumped into the river.

Ganga River is a trans-boundary river that flows through India and Bangladesh with a length of 2525 km. It originates in the western Himalayas and the Uttarakhand and ends up in the Bay of Bengal. It is the most sacred river and worshipped as Goddess Ganga in Hinduism. It is a lifeline to millions and is however itself dying. In recent years the Ganga has suffered a lot from pollution and the pollution level is now above the acceptable range.

The B.O.D. level for a prestige river is around 1 mg/l and ranges from 2-8 mg/l for moderately polluted rivers. Rivers with B.O.D. level above 8 mg/l are considered to be severely polluted. The average B.O.D. level around the year has been 38 mg/l. It had to suffer as it takes so much waste including toxic metals like lead and copper. The river flows through 100 cities with a population in lakhs.

IIITD Student B.Tech Project. BTP Supervisor: Prof. Manohar Khushalani
BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi

This OneVorld video explains the Yamuna Action Plan which was introduced in 1993 as one of the largest restoration projects in India. It is a bilateral project between India and Japan. It was launched in 1993. The 1st phase was carried out by National River Conservation Directorate. It focused on building new and expanding the capacity of old sewage treatment plants.

In 1993 when the Yamuna was declared as the dirtiest river in the country, YAMUNA ACTION PLAN came into existence.

There was a threat to aquatic life as well as water shortage problems due to years of sewage dumping. It was decided to divide and complete it in three phases. The project spans from Hatnikund (Haryana) till the point where Yamuna meets the River Ganga along with Sindh River and Chambal River.

According to initial surveys, it was found that 22kms of Yamuna’s stretch which is through Delhi was the major contributor to pollution.

First phase covered Delhi, eight towns in Uttar Pradesh and six towns in Haryana. Second phase emphasised on the 22 kms stretch in Delhi. Third phase of the plan was initiated in 2013 despite the debates around the success of the first two phases.

But somehow, despite all this planning, studies warned that Delhi’s waterway was toxic even after treatment and should not be used for drinking or irrigation. The condition is still not improved even after years of planning and investment. It’s not just sewage dumping but many of our practices that have led to these disastrous scenarios. People can now literally see foam from Google Earth. It is high time to rethink our actions and its effects.

IIITD Student B.Tech Project. BTP Supervisor: Prof. Manohar Khushalani
BTP Students: Sejal Kumar / Aysha Fazilath / Rahul Patwardhan / Vyshakh Dharan
Video Input: Utsav Rohilla / Nitin Yadav / Aditya Diundi