Germany to provide Euro 120 million soft loan for Clean Ganga Mission

Germany has announced to provide soft loan of euro 120 million (Rs. 990 crore approximately) to India to strengthen sewage water treatment infrastructure in Uttarakhand in an effort to clean River Ganga under Clean Ganga Mission. German development agency GIZ also has prepared ‘Ganga Box’ aimed to target schools-going children and inform them about the river.

Key Facts

The proceeds from this soft loan will be used for project focusing on extension and replacement of sewerage system (around 360 kilometres) including complete house connection, construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) of around 15 million litres per day (mld). The purpose of project is to reduce inflow of untreated waste water in River Ganga and, thus, to improve the water quality of the river. This project also includes construction of 13 sewage pumping stations.

Ganga book

Ganga book has been prepared on lines of ‘Danube Book’ when cleaning of European river was undertaken. This book will have information mythological, socio-cultural, economic importance about river and suggestions to avoid pollution, like not dumping plastic in water body. Its aim is to bring behavioural change of people towards Ganga River. Ganga book project has been piloted in government schools in Uttarakhand and it will be replicated in other states.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2018