Question

Ganga Action Plan was started in
(a) 1982
(b) 1986
(c) 1991
(d) 1994

Answer 1

Hint: The ultimate aim of the Ganga Action Plan was to provide an integrated river basin management approach taking into account the different complex interactions between the abiotic and biotic ecosystems.

Complete answer:
The Ganga Action Plan was initiated by the Indian Prime Minister Shri Rajeev Gandhi on 14 January 1986, with the main objective of pollution reduction of the Ganga River, to improve water quality by interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic wastewater, and to classify grossly polluting units to prevent it. Diversion and treatment of domestic sewage and the presence of toxic and industrial chemical waste from highly polluting units found entering the river.
So, the correct answer is, ‘1986’.

Additional Information:
The Ganga Action Plan (GAP)'s other targets are as follows.
- To control the non-point waste from agricultural runoff, human defecation, wallowing of cattle, and throwing unburnt and half-burned bodies into the water.
- Biotic conservation research and development; river diversity to increase its productivity.
- New technology has been successfully developed for sewage treatment such as Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and sewage treatment through afforestation.
- Rehabilitation of soft-shelled turtles has been demonstrated for river pollution abatement and found to be useful.
- Resource recovery options such as methane production for generating energy and the use of aquaculture for generating revenue have been demonstrated.
- To act as a trendsetter for similar plans of action in other grossly polluted stretches of other rivers.

Note: Despite some delay in completing the first step of GAP, it has created considerable interest and set the stage for the development of a national approach to replicating this program for the country's other contaminated rivers. The Government of India suggested expanding this model through a National River Action Plan (NRAP) with necessary modifications at the national level. The NRAP draws primarily on the lessons learned and the knowledge gained from the Distance, in addition to seeking the views of the State Governments and the other departments/agencies concerned.