Capacity Building Initiative on Citywide Sanitation for ULBs in Ganga Basin

An Overview

In the name of economic growth, most rivers and streams are turning into sewers due to excessive pollution load- especially from urban settlements. The centre emphasizes the current status of rivers in India and aims to re-establish the link between society and water -- river, excreta and pollution. CSE has conducted research in this domain in the past and have also published a report on River Ganga, “Ganga- The river, its pollution and what we can do for it (In English), (In Hindi)" which puts forward the state of the river and the steps that need to be taken to make Ganga ‘live’ forever.

Furthermore, CSE has been advocating septage magement and decentralised wastewater treatment options that can be undertaken by institutions and individuals for sustainable water management. Now, the centre is making efforts for policy intervention and implementation opportunities for pollution abatement in the cities of the Ganga River basin as part of the rejuvenated national efforts to clean this major river in the sub continent. 

CSE is conducting capacity building programmes for ULBs to reduce the pollution levels in the Ganga Basin. 

Project Aim

The aim of this project is to capacitate key state and non-state actors in preparation of City Sanitation Plans for at least 10 cities in Ganga basin; provide laboratory-based technical & documentation support to pilot/model projects that offer on-site & off-site demonstration of various technologies and develop technology options, testing protocols, monitoring and data validation procedures for wastewater treatment and faecal sludge management.

The proposed measures ride on the policy intervention and implementation opportunities provided by the government’s push for pollution abatement in the cities of the Ganga River basin as part of the rejuvenated national efforts to clean this major river in the sub-continent.