A new report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has highlighted serious problems in the implementation of the Namami Gange Programme in Uttarakhand.
The report says that the programme, which aims to clean and restore the Ganga River, has not been implemented effectively in the state. Several issues were found in areas such as sewage management, waste disposal, monitoring systems, and public awareness.
The audit report was presented in the state assembly and reviewed the implementation of the programme between 2018-19 and 2022-23. The audit itself was conducted during 2023-24.
According to the report, the State Mission for Clean Ganga and the State Ganga Committee did not properly plan sewage treatment systems in many towns located along the Ganga.
Sewage treatment plants, commonly called STPs, are built to treat wastewater before it enters rivers. These plants are meant to remove harmful substances and make the water safer before it is released.
However, the report found that many STPs in Uttarakhand were either not connected to household sewer systems or only partially connected. Because of this, large amounts of untreated sewage were still flowing directly into the Ganga.
The audit also noted that the existing STPs did not have enough capacity to treat the amount of sewage produced in the towns. As a result, the treatment process remained incomplete, and polluted water continued to enter the river.
Another problem mentioned in the report was that the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan refused to take control of 18 sewage treatment plants. The department said these plants had problems in their construction and operation.
The report also pointed out that sewage sludge management was neglected. Sewage sludge is the solid waste produced during the treatment process. If not handled properly, it can also cause pollution.
In addition, the State Ganga Committee did not conduct regular safety audits of the sewage treatment plants. The report said this failure led to avoidable loss of human lives and damage to assets created under the Namami Gange programme.
Safety audits are important because they help identify technical problems, dangerous working conditions, or structural weaknesses in plants. Without proper inspections, accidents may occur.
The report also revealed that only about 16 percent of the planned expenditure under the programme was actually used during the audit period. This means many planned activities were either delayed or not implemented at all.
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The audit also highlighted several problems in solid waste management in towns located along the Ganga.
Instead of proper waste treatment, garbage was often dumped on riverbanks or slopes. In some cases, waste was burned instead of being processed through proper waste management systems.
Such practices can cause serious environmental damage. When garbage is dumped near rivers, rainwater can carry the waste back into the river. Burning waste also releases harmful smoke and chemicals into the air.
The report also examined water quality in different areas along the Ganga in Uttarakhand. Water quality is measured using standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board.
According to these standards, Class A water is considered clean enough to be used as a drinking water source after disinfection. Class B water is suitable for outdoor bathing.
The audit found that the water quality of the Ganga remained relatively good in some areas. Up to Devprayag, the water was classified as Class A.
However, in Rishikesh, the river’s water quality remained mostly in Class B between 2019 and 2023. During the COVID-19 period in 2020-21, it temporarily improved to Class A.
In Haridwar, the water quality stayed in Class B throughout the audit period.
The report also criticised the monitoring system used by the state. It said the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board did not obtain accreditation for its laboratory from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
This laboratory is responsible for testing the quality of Ganga water and checking the wastewater released from sewage treatment plants. Without proper accreditation, the reliability of its testing systems may be questioned.
Another issue highlighted in the report was related to standards used in sewage treatment plants. The audit said that strict treatment standards suggested by Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee were relaxed during the tender process.
The original standard required zero faecal coliform bacteria in treated water. Faecal coliform bacteria indicate contamination from human or animal waste.
However, during the tender process, this requirement was relaxed to 100 MPN (Most Probable Number) per 100 millilitres of water. This level is allowed under guidelines of the National Green Tribunal, but it is less strict than the earlier recommendation.
Because of this relaxation, contracts for building or upgrading sewage treatment plants were awarded based on the lower standard.
Overall, the audit reviewed 42 projects under the Namami Gange programme in Uttarakhand. These included 25 sewage management projects, 15 riverfront development and ghat cleaning projects, one afforestation project, and one project aimed at reducing industrial pollution.
The report highlights the need for better planning, stronger monitoring, and greater public awareness to protect the Ganga. Experts say that without proper implementation, the goal of cleaning and preserving the river may remain difficult to achieve.
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