Cleaning the Ganga River

A. Introduction
1. The Ganga is India’s holiest river. The eternal life-stream of Indian culture; the clock whose
ticking denotes time to even Mahakaal (Lord Shiva), the great time-keeper; the chord which
unites the four yugs (eons) - Ganga represents all of these and more. She integrates into
herself the history, the beliefs and sometimes even the hopes of India and its people.
2. It has a cultural and spiritual significance that far transcends the boundaries of the basin. It
has been deeply revered since time immemorial and many Indians view the river as a
goddess and moksha dayini (salvation giver) for departed souls. On important Hindu
festivals, such as the Kumbh Mela, Magh Purnima, and Dussehra, millions of people
converge on the river in select cities to pray and bathe in the river. The Kumbh Mela, held
in 2019 in Allahabad, was attended by approximately 150 million people, making it the
largest gathering in the world anywhere in recorded history.
3. Several of the basin towns, such as Haridwar, Allahabad, and Varanasi, are important both
from a religious and a heritage point of view. In Hindu mythology Varanasi is viewed as the
center of the universe and the first city created on earth. It is India’s most important heritage
site. The basin is home to iconic town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where Buddha found
enlightenment, and which remains a pilgrimage place for Buddhists from around the world.
4. Today, the Ganges is considered to be the sixth-most polluted river in the world. No one
in India spoke of the Ganges as polluted until the late 1970s. A number of initiatives have
been undertaken to clean the river but failed to deliver desired results.
5. After three decades of efforts to clean the national river, it is a sad state of affairs that the
river is not even fit for bathing. According to a map of Ganga river water quality presented
by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to National Green Tribunal (NGT) in
August 2018, only five out of 70-odd monitoring stations had water that was fit for drinking
and seven for bathing.
6. There is a critical need to ensure that the water quality of Ganga be enhanced and quantum
of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Nitrogen (TN), and specific toxic
components be reduced to safe thresholds. There are alternate methods available to
enhance the processing capacity of the existing water treatment plants as well as clean the
river water as it flows. These should be explored so that Ganga can be rejuvenated.

B. The Mythology
7. In ancient times there was a King in the Ikshvaku dynasty (also called Solar Dynasty) called
Sagar. King Sagar had 60,000 sons. He started Ashvamedha Yagna to enhance his
powers. Indra decided to thwart it. He stole the sacrificial horse and left it at the ashram of
Kapil rishi. Sagar deputed his sixty thousand sons to search and bring the horse back. They
found the horse not far from where Kapil rishi sat in samadhi. Sagar’s sons approached the
sage and accused him of stealing the horse. The sage opened his eyes in rage. According
to some, Kapila was the son of Agni the fire-god, and now he angrily glared at the princes
and a sacred flame leaped from his eyes which instantly burned them to ashes.
8. When King Sagar came to know of this catastrophic news, he grieved with pain. He deputed
his grandson Amsumantha to go to Kapil rishi, beg him forgiveness and ask him to allow
taking the horse back. Amsumantha praised the sage and narrated how wrong his
predecessors were in trying to attack him. He told about the maha-yagya being performed
by king Sagar and requested Kapil rishi for permission to take back the horse. Impressed
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

by the humility and good manners of Amsumantha, sage Kapila blessed him and asked him
to take the horse.
9. As he was going back, Kapila rishi told Amsumantha that his predecessors could reach
pitra-loka only if river Ganges flowed over their ashes. Amsumantha started performing
penance to bring Ganga to earth but failed. It was his son, Bhagirath, who went to the
Himalayas and performed extreme penance for a very long time. Lord Brahma was pleased
and asked Bhagirath for a boon. Bhagirath asked him to allow Ganga to descend on Earth.
Ganga had been born from Vishnu's toe and was an unstable creature as is the nature of
water. Only Vishnu could release her.
10. So Bhagirath started praying to Vishnu. Vishnu heard him and asked Ganga if she was
willing to go down to Earth. Ganga agreed on one condition, that she should not be polluted.
With all in agreement, preparations were made to bring Ganga down from heaven. It was
realized that the Ganga had massive amount of water and if she came down to earth, the
force of that impact would destroy the earth. So, Lord Shiva, was approached and he agreed
to catch Ganga in his long and thick dreadlocks during her descent.
11. After Shiva released Ganga from his dreadlocks, Ganga came out with great force and it
flowed through the Ashrama of a sage called Jahnu. He was so angry he simply swallowed
her. Bhagirath prayed to Jahnu to release her. Jahnu released her through his ears and
because Ganga came out of the ear of Jahnu Rishi, she is called Jahnavi. As Ganga flowed
through the ashes of Bhagirath's ancestors they were liberated. The entire episode is
described in great detail in Valmiki Ramayan, in the Bala Kandam. Ganga is called by
different names. In one place it’s Mandakini; in another it’s Bhagirathi; a third is Jahnavi.
So, this is the birth of Ganga on this earth.
12. So pure was Ganga that when a person took bath in her, he attained his dream and broke
the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation. By dying, being cremated and having one’s
ashes immersed in Ganga, one could break endless cycle of rebirth and join ancestors in
heaven. It was difficult to persuade people that the pure goddess could actually become
impure due to their actions.

C. The Ganga River Delta

1. The Ganga rises as Bhagirathi, in the Garhwal Himalaya from the ice-cave of Gaumukh
at the snout of the Gangotri glacier. The river cuts through the Himalayas until the
Alaknanda, joins at Devaprayag. It is after this confluence that the united stream of
Bhagirathi and Alaknanda is known as the River Ganga. Thereafter, the Ganga does not
receive any major tributary until the Ramganga joins at Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh.
2. At Allahabad (1020 km from the source), the Ganga is joined by the River Yamuna and
several major tributaries after that, such as Tons, Son, Gomati, Ghaghara, Gandak, Burhi
Gandak and Kosi. These tributaries are major rivers in their own right. After travelling 2525
km, the Ganga eventually reaches the head of its delta and merges in Bay of Bengal.
3. The river has significant economic, environmental, and cultural value in India. The basin
covers over 861,404 square kilometers in India, impacting more than 40% of its
population. There are more than 44 cities with population more than 50,000 along the
mainstream. However, a majority of the basin population is in the rural areas. With reach of
about 400 million people, the Ganga basin is the most populated river basin in the world.
3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 1 | Page
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

D. Pollution load in the Ganga

1. Despite the status and heritage as India’s iconic river, the Ganga is facing extreme pollution
pressures and associated threats to its biodiversity and environmental sustainability. River
water quality has significantly deteriorated over time due to increasing population in the
basin and poor management of urbanization and industrial growth. This aggravates
particularly in the dry season when low flows result in very poor water quality in the critical
middle stretch of the river that runs from Kanpur to Varanasi in UP.
2. The primary sources of pollution are untreated sewage and industrial wastewater. At
present, only one-third of the approximately 12,000 MLD of sewage generated in the
main-stem towns and cities is treated before being discharged into the river. The Sewage
treatment plants (STPs) created under various schemes to treat the waste water have
reached their maximum capacity as the original plan had not catered for growth.
3. Significant volumes of industrial effluent are discharged into the Ganga, mostly from small
and medium scale industries. Non-point sources from agriculture and livestock as well as
poor solid waste management also contribute to its pollution.
D.1. Municipal Waste Water Treatment
a. STPs have been at the centre of Ganga pollution abatement. As per Namami
Gange targets, STPs with over 2,000 million litres a day (MLD) capacity had to
be rehabilitated of which only 328 MLD have been done. A look at the status of
all the projects undertaken makes one doubt whether the government would
even achieve its revised deadline of 2020. Till 31st August 2018, a total of 236
projects, including STPs, had been sanctioned out of which only 63 had been
completed.
b. STPs installed are not upto quality. Every STP installed has design
parameters for Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids
(TSS). The 5 MLD domestic waste water treatment plant at Jajmau in Kanpur
had 2 to 3 times the accepted BOD and TSS level in April-May 2018 report of
Kanpur Jal Nigam.
c. Another problem with STPs is that there is a lack of sewerage network in
cities. A total network of 2,071 km of new sewer line projects was sanctioned
after Namami Gange. Only 66.85 km has been laid.
d. STP design requirements are incorrectly captured. For any city, STPs are
being designed according to their sewage generation. The problem lies in the
way sewage generation is estimated. Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) was
given the task of constructing an STP of 35 MLD near Assi Ghat at Varanasi
in 2010. Mishra, who is also a professor in IIT-BHU, says, “We carried out a
three-day schedule for the Assi drain and to our utter surprise we found that the
discharge was 63.5 MLD.”
D.2. Industrial Pollutants
a. Most of the industrial pollutants come from untreated or poorly treated
discharges from leather, pulp/ paper, sugar, and brass industries, situated
along the Ganga mainstem as well as two of its tributaries (Ramganga and
Kali).
3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 2 | Page
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

b. Many of the tanneries are small-scale enterprises with little capacity to pre-treat
waste water to requisite standards prior to discharge to the Common Effluent
Treatment Plants (CETP) that treat both industrial and domestic waste. As a
result the CETPs do not meet discharge standards.
c. According to submissions made by the UP government in NGT there are three
clusters housing tannery industries—Jajmau, Unnao and Banther that are the
highest producer of pollutants. Industries are finding it easy to dispose their
entire waste, including the chrome liquor, in the common drain which carries
both domestic as well as industrial waste.
d. The closure of industries under judicial orders has not brought about any
significant change owing to the systemic nature of the problem.
e. In the CETPs at Jajmau, chromium forms a separate layer over the waste water
and is visible with naked eyes. Hair fall, skin infections, heart and lung problems
are common in every family in the area.
D.3. Solid Waste Management
a. Indiscriminate dumping of solid waste along the banks of the river impacts water
quality directly. Other than the religious offerings or flowers, coconuts, clothes,
lamps, there are about 33,000 dead bodies that get cremated on the banks of
Ganga on a daily basis at Varanasi alone.
b. Solid waste includes biodegradable waste, that increases BOD and SS levels,
and non-degradable waste, like plastics that float. In both cases, river water
quality is seriously affected making it unfit for drinking, bathing, or any other
productive use. But poor solid waste management also affects water quality
indirectly by using drains for disposal and storage, and thereby promoting
anaerobic digestion in-situ and the discharge of highly polluted drain water into
the river.
D.4. Restricted River Flow
a. A river is a self-purifying system if sufficient water flows through it. The Ganga
fails this basic test except during monsoons. There are stretches where, in April
or May, there is not even knee-deep water. The water level in the river is going
down steadily. If the flow in the river is maintained it can solve the problem of
60-80 per cent of organic pollutants.
b. A paper published by IIT-Kharagpur in August 2018 states that according to
their estimates the baseflow amount of the river has decreased by 56 per cent
in 2016 as compared to the 1970s. The decrease in flow has led to an increase
in groundwater extraction for various uses.
c. Reduction in water levels and decrease in the velocity of water has increased
the siltation levels. The Ganga river carries the highest silt load of any river in
the world and the deposition of this material is resulting in the river changing its
course.
d. As of May 2018, 16 existing, 14 ongoing and 14 proposed hydroelectric
projects on the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda river basins will turn the upper
stretch of the Ganga into “ecological deserts”. The designs of hydroelectric
3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 3 | Page
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

projects should be such that they consume less water. It may raise the cost of
the projects but should be done for long-term preservation of the Ganga.
e. The self-purifying nature of Ganga water is fast reducing. For ages Ganga water
has been used for its medicinal properties that can treat skin infections. These
properties come due to medicinal plants on the path of Ganga. Ganga water is
very rich in minerals and has bacteriophages which kill the bacteria.
D.5. Deforestation
a. Rampant deforestation in the last few decades has resulted in topsoil erosion
in the Ganga catchment area. This has increased silt deposits which, in turn
had raise the river bed and lead to devastating floods in the rainy season and
stagnant flow in the dry season.
b. Besides cleaning the Ganga, the Namami Gange also talks about afforestation
as an important activity as it helps groundwater recharge. According to NMCG,
it has already spent Rs 114 crore on afforestation but to no avail.
c. Assistant professor in Allahabad University Pramod Sharma says, “They have
planted kachnaar and gulmohar plants. They can only be used for decorative
purposes. What is required for the Ganga is bargad, peepal, gular and neem as
they help in better conservation of water.”
D.6. Sediment Pollution
a. The Ganga River and its sediments had been polluted by past industrial and
municipal discharge and disposal of waste. Fishing and survival of aquatic life
had been impaired by low dissolved oxygen, pesticides and DDT. In addition,
metals and cyanides contaminated bottom sediments are certain source of
pollutants causing impairments.
b. Bottom-dwelling organisms serve both as a food source for higher organisms
such as fish, and as an indicator of pollutant stresses. The high dissolved solids
concentrations, detritus (non-living particulate matter) and turbidity has
impacted water transparency. Habitat loss was impairing beneficial uses such
as fishing, observing wild birds and animals, and educating students and other
people about the natural environment of the region.
c. Sediments accumulate contaminants by attraction of chemicals out of the
dissolved phase and onto solids. Contaminants on sediments may also find
their way into bottom feeding organisms where they may cause toxic effects or
bio-accumulate to the point of threatening higher food chain consumers.
d. Where the sources of toxic discharge are curtailed and sediment stability is high,
sedimentation itself will gradually bury noxious substances so they will be non-
bioavailable. These get exposed again after monsoon when the river flow speed
is high.
e. Dissolved oxygen is extracted from the water as a result of chemical reaction
and biological respiration. Many small sources of pollution distributed diffusely
over an area, are cumulatively making a significant contribution to water quality
degradation.

3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 4 | Page

 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

f. Toxics are entering surface waters either dissolved in runoff or attached to

sediment or other organic materials and groundwater through soil infiltration.

E. Cleaning Efforts so Far

1. Initiatives to clean the Ganga began with the Ganga Action Plan I in 1986. Till 2014, over
Rs 4,000 crore had been spent. But the river has remained dirty. So when the National
Democratic Alliance government launched the Namami Gange in mid-May 2015, there was
a new hope. It was the biggest-ever initiative—over Rs 20,000 crore was allotted. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi made it his personal agenda and set a deadline: “Ganga will be
clean by 2019”, it has now been extended to 2020.
2. Namami Gange is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG),
and its state counterparts. The National Ganga Council (NGC) was created. And to give
it utmost importance the Prime Minister was made the head of it.
3. The report, Ganga Rejuvenation Basin Management Program (GRBMP), submitted in
March 2015, says that instead of establishing a few projects on the stretch of the Ganga,
the whole river basin—that is all the states coming under the main stem of Ganga and its
tributaries—must come under the ambit of the program.
4. Almost five years since Modi’s promise of cleaning the Ganga, cities along the river remain
highly polluted and data shows that people might be drinking partially-treated sewage. It is
rumored that the water of Ganga at Varanasi is cleaned for the duration of Prime Minister’s
visit. After the visit the water returns to its original state. Will Ganga ever be cleaned and is
there any deadline possible?
5. There is a need to evaluate the approach being taken and alternate methods available for
making the cleaning process effective and long term viable.

F. Forced Sedimentation of Pollutants using Magnetic Field

F.1. Experiments with Magnetic Fields on Wastewater Treatment
a. Exposure to a Magnetic Field (MF) has noticeable influences on
microorganisms, their viability and metabolism. MF can be used for preventing
or enhancing purposes, depending on the organic species and treatment
regime, e.g. strength and type of MF (static, pulsating), and length of exposure.
For instance, the growth of unwanted bacteria Escherichia coli, Leclercia
adecarboxylata and Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by exposure to the
pulsating MF.
b. Static Magnetic Field (SMF) exposure influenced the aerobic biosynthesis of
polyhydroxy-alkanoates by activated sludge. Increased enzymatic activity have
been reported. There was increased dehydrogenase activity due to
formaldehyde removal and where biodegradation increased up to 20 %.
c. An enhancing effect on beneficial bacterial growth and metabolic behavior
was observed in activated sludge, resulting in 40% increased removal of
organic pollutants, especially those containing nitrogen.
d. Similarly, biodegradation of organic compounds in municipal wastewater
increased up to 40 %.
3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 5 | Page
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

e. Similar activity has been observed in industrial pollutants. The phenol

biodegradation increased by up to 34 % due to increased growth and activity of
Rhodococcus erythropolis.
f. In addition to biodegradation effect, the presence of MF also caused
precipitation of coagulants from a suspension up to 30% faster than
without MF. This can be used to remove aqueous pollutants by adsorption,
entrapment, precipitation or coalescence during a coagulation triggered by MF.
F.2. Advantages of Magnetic Wastewater Treatment
a. Economic considerations prompt to use magnetizers as assistive technology
systems in water purification, wastewater and sludge treatment.
b. Magnetic fluids activators (MFA) are characterized by simple design.
c. The greatest advantage is the lack of need to have a constant supply of energy
and use permanent magnets that can be periodically recharged. This will ensure
that the intensity of the magnetic field induction is not weakened over time.
d. Such devices can be operated efficiently over many years.
e. Magnetizers can be used in a system without the need of adaptation period.
f. Magnet based systems can be installed at the existing STP and Industrial water
treatment plants without the need for major modification.
g. This will accelerate the treatment speeds and enhance their existing capacities.
h. Magnetic systems can also be installed along the banks of the river without
disturbing the flow of the river and with minimal impact on the environment. This
will accelerate the sedimentation process of suspended impurities.
i. A pilot project can be carried out with minimum investment to see the
effectiveness of the cleansing properties.
j. Once the sediments have settled on the river bed downstream, they can be
systematically removed through dredging. This is described in the subsequent
paragraphs.
F.3. Installation of Magnetic Fluid Activators (MFAs) at STP and Industrial Wastewater
Treatment Plants
a. For maximum impact, continuous direct exposure of the wastewater treatment
vessel to the MF is required. For this the MFA can be formed by an excitation
coil. The excitation coil can be composed of a solenoid coil and the Helmholtz
coils (around the non-magnetic shell) to yield a homogeneous distribution of
magnetic flux density (B) inside the reactor vessel. In order to produce the static
field, a Direct Current (DC) electricity supply can be used and the MF strength
was chosen differently by adjusting the electric-current strength during the
experimental sets. The coil produces semi-homogeneous MF practically in the
whole volume of the reactor vessel.
b. For experiments with short-term magnetic treatment, a simple array of ferrite
magnets, with an alternating orientation of MF lines can be constructed. Low
carbonic steel can be selected for the material of the magnetic yoke. The casting
3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 6 | Page
 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

and the pipe must be non-magnetic. The magnetic field peaks can be chosen
differently by adjusting the distances, d (mm), inside the magnetic pairs.
c. A test bed in an existing STP as well as an Industrial waste water treatment
plant will be required to be establish to come out with the optimum configuration.
F.4. Installation of Magnetic Fluid Activators (MFAs) along mainstream of Ganga
a. This is a complex installation. There will be a need to set up a test bed long a
certain section of river after it leaves high polluting cities like Kanpur, Allahabad
and Varanasi. The primary requirement is to assess the speed of water flow in
the test bed section during monsoon season. It is during the monsoon the
pollution load increases alongwith the increase in suspended particles. At its
fastest the water flow will be about 5 to 10 kmph.
b. A trial will be required to be carried out of the quantum of MF strength of the
MFA required and the length of stretch along which the MF has to be exerted.
Considering the fact that laying the magnets (MFA) from bank to bank will be
very costly and not be maintainable, it is recommended to have the installation
along the banks. We can have an artificial bank constructed with width of 10
meters reaching into the river and having a depth of at-least 2 to 4 feet.
c. This will ensure that about 10 to 15% of the water will be impacted by the MF.
Given the right strength of MF and sufficient length of river stretch covered, this
water will also be able to magnetize the entire stream as it mingles its way down
stream.
d. The installation will be covered with concrete slabs to save the magnetic coils
from corrosion and deposits. These areas can be used by local population as
ghats and will not require any restrictions except during the periodic charging of
the magnets.
e. This concept has to be further detailed with SMEs.
f. It has to be noted that the results may take time to emerge as this is a
continuous cleansing process and overall river health will take time to improve
and rejuvenate.

G. Sediment Removal Process

G.1. Sediment Removal in STP and Industrial Water Treatment Plants
a. There is not new effort required to be done for sediment removal at STPs and
Industrial waste-water treatment plants. Only the capacity of sediment removal
systems has to be increased to take on increased output.
G.2. Sediment Removal in Main Stream of Ganga
a. The MFA complex will trigger/ accelerate the process of adsorption,
entrapment, precipitation or coalescence of particulate pollutants along with
other suspended impurities. These will be deposited downstream on the river
bed. Typically, the effect of the MF should force the sedimentation within 2 to 4
hours. At the maximum water flow speed of 10 kmph the sediments will deposit

3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 7 | Page

 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

along a stretch of 20 to 40 kms. Based on actual ground results, the stretch of

river requiring dredging can be decided.
b. Since the sediments will be loaded with pollutants, appropriate dredging
technology has to be employed to minimize sediments falling back into the river
and getting mixed in the water.
G.3. Dredging Operation
c. Sediment sampling density will be recorded periodically to compare previous
contaminant and sediment accumulation data.
d. Utilize Corps of Engineers established baseline and establish similar reference
lines for other sections of the river.
e. Corps of Engineers will specify procedures for equipment selection (e.g. gravity
vs. vibracore or ponar dredge), preparation for sample collection, orientation of
core samples, refrigeration during transit and procedures for securing sample
aliquots from the cores.
f. Specify standard record keeping procedures including designating depth of
sample below great lakes mean low water datum and depth of sample below
river bottom.
g. Generally, one meter of the river bed will be dredged. This can vary between
0.5 to 2 meters depending on the level of deposits.
h. The dredged sediments will be carried to a specified storage site.
i. Site selection and acquisition for sediment storage will be carried out in
conjunction with the Namami Gange authorities.
j. Initially a pilot project will be undertaken for dredging of 500 meters of highly
sedimented zone.

H. The Plan
H.1. Phase I – Identification of Area
a. A study will be carried out “off the map” as well as “on ground” to identify the
area in which the project will be implemented. One STP, One Industrial
Wastewater Treatment Plant and about 10 km of the river stretch will be
identified.
b. Analysis of the river sediment will be done to record the current status of the
river bed.
c. A stretch of maximum 1 km will be identified for building the MFA complex. The
final length of the MFA complex will be decided based on SME
recommendations.
d. Civil architecture of the MFA complex will be created.
e. Selection of the area for Sediment deposition will be carried out.

3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 8 | Page

 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

f. The Sediment Disposal Facility (SDF) will be designed to contain the sediments.
The perimeter wall will be capable of preventing dredged sediment and
contaminated sediments from entering river.
g. MoD approval will be obtained for involving Corps of Engineers for the project.
h. Corps of Engineers will be co-opted for selection of the area for dredging.
i. It is anticipated that this activity will consume at least 1- 2 months.
H.2. Phase II – Creating the MFA and SDF Complexes
a. Approval of Namami Gange authorities will be obtained for construction of the
MFA complex.
b. Activities related to land acquisition/ lease processes will be completed.
c. Construction activities for MFA complex will be started.
d. Identification of requisite dredging equipment will be carried out based on SME
recommendations.
e. Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) for dredging will be created. The process
will involve two phases of sediment removal. Sediment contaminants on the bed
surface will be removed first. Deeply buried sediments were planned will be
removed later.
f. SOP will contain detailed procedure for pumping dredged sediment from the
barge through a sediment transfer pipe and into the SDF.
g. The sand base of the perimeter wall of SDF will have requisite width so that it
can act as a large sand filter that removes potential contaminants from the water
entering Ganga.
h. Construction of the MFA and SDF complexes will be started. The time of
completion will be 1 year (six months for civil works and six months for electrical/
electronic work). During the construction process, there will be no restriction of
the river flow. Effort will be made to complete the work in a early time period.
i. Procurement of identified dredges will be carried out in conjunction with Corps
of Engineers.
H.3. Phase III - Conduct of Dredging Operation
a. Dredging operation will be carried out as per SOP.
b. The first operation will start two months after the initialization of the MFA
complex.
c. As per estimates the dredging of 1 km stretch will consume a minimum of 3
months.
d. Periodicity of Dredging: Dredging should be repeated every 1 year.
H.4. Phase IV – Future Activity
a. Based on the success of the pilot project, additional areas should be chosen.

3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 9 | Page

 Unique Selling Points: Walkie Talkie and SDR Features

b. Based on initial study it is estimated at least 6 to 8 such complexes will be

required to be established along the entire stretch of the river to reach a
comprehensive cleaning status.
c. This project will not clean floating solid waste, which should form part of another
effort.

I. Conclusion
1. The Ganga cleaning projects started as a "cleanliness drive" and continues in the same
noble spirit with the same zeal and enthusiasm on other major rivers and freshwater bodies.
Its effectiveness could however be enhanced if these efforts could be integrated with
innovative technologies that can actively sediment the pollutants and deposit them in the
bottom. These can then be systematically removed through dredging. This will reduce
dependence on STP and water treatment plans for industrial as well as municipal wastes
for ensuring clean river. It will also reduce polluted groundwater in the river basins. This will
be cost effective and combat the problem of pollution in the long term.
2. Magnetic water treatment techniques have shown promising potentials in different areas
specially agriculture. Safety, compatibility and simplicity, environmentally friendliness, low
operating cost and not proven harmful effects are the main advantages of electromagnetic
field over conventional methods for water treatment. Magnetized or magnetic water (MW)
possesses unique physical and chemical characteristics making it a multi-purpose
compound with potential benefits in medical treatment, industrial as well as environmental
applications.
3. How magnetic treatment influences the metabolism of microorganisms is not clear yet.
Observation shows that MF re-orientates the diamagnetic anisotropic organic molecules,
such as membrane lipids, changing the permeability of membrane ion channels. The
explanation may be sought in hypotheses for other similar phenomena of magnetic water
treatment that are related to modified hydration of ions and interface surfaces. The SMF
causes selective ionization, changes in electrical conductance of solutions. Due to this the
molecules are polarized and receive and appropriate charge. SMF accelerates the
biochemical processes, catalyzes advanced oxidation, intensifies anaerobic and aerobic
processes or reduces swelling of activated sludge. SMF has positive impact on the
coagulation and sedimentation, as well as the conditioning and dewatering of sludge.
4. Namami Gange authorities should employ alternate methods to clean Ganga as
conventional methods have failed.

3rd Jan 2019 - PA2 10 | Page