Introduction to our national River Ganga via cmaps

Abstract

The Government of India declared the holy river GANGA as a national river on 4 Nov 2008. For the first time in the history of India, a river has been given the status of national river. The Ganga river basin is the lifeline for millions sprawling across Himalayas of Nepal and India, through the great plains of India, to the world's biggest delta, straddling West Bengal and Bangladesh. The unique importance of this multifaceted Ganga basin stems from its geographical, historical, socio-cultural, environmental and economic value. It has been facing serious threat due to discharge of increasing quantities of sewage effluents, industrial effluents and other pollutants on account of rapid urbanization, industrialization and agricultural growth. The challenge is compounded by the competing demands on river water for irrigation, domestic purposes, industrial use and power. Due to the complexities of the issues confronting the Ganga river, it has inadvertently become the source for intense debates about river benefits, ownership and even entitlements with a indistinct line between its use and abuse. Though there is a vast array of information available on the Ganga river in the form of write-ups, books, articles, blogs, it was felt that there was a need to present the information in a simpler and comprehensive way. Based on the available information from various sources, this chapter presents the salient features of the profile of the Ganga Basin in the form of knowledge models (cmaps). This chapter encompasses a holistic view of the river, - be it physiographic, ecological, cultural, spiritual or hydrological. It also touches briefly on the various challenges leading to the current state of affairs for the river also. The chapter concludes with the discussion on the establishment of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) and the preparation of Ganga River Basin Environment Management Plan (GRB EMP) by the consortia of IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and its partners. With a view to an easier understanding, several cmaps have been used throughout the chapter.