(Daily News Scan - DNS English) What is Motive Behind IDEAthon?
On May 2, 2020, The National Mission for Clean Ganga launched IDEAthon. This is going to focus on “The Future of River Management”. It will basically explore the concepts how COVID-19 crisis will change the river management strategies. River Ganga holds a significant place as it is considered to be a holy river along with that has environmental and economic value as well. Over the years the water of this river has been contaminated due to various activities of the humans. The government planned a project to clean the river and bring it back to its initial day’s conditions with less contamination and pollution.
Today’s DNS will talk about IDEATHON.
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized an IDEAthon on “The future of River Management’ to explore how the COVID-19 crisis can shape River Management strategies for the future.
The general narrative around the COVID-19 crisis has been of stress, anxiety and concern, but there is some positive outcomes to this as well. Due to the lockdown imposed almost everywhere in the world, the pollution level have deteriorated significantly. Similarly in INDIA as well there has been improvements in the natural environment. Rivers have become cleaner. The air has become fresher. From the perspective of river management, India has witnessed a noticeable improvement in the water quality of the Ganga and Yamuna in the last few weeks. The Ganga river water was found to be suitable for bathing at most monitoring centres, as per the data of CPCB. During the lockdown period, the Gangetic Dolphins have been sighted frequently as compared to the times before lockdown.
The overall purpose behind the IDEAthon was to examine how the social angle of rivers can be leveraged on to address other crises. What lessons for river management has the pandemic taught us? And what response mechanisms are needed in the event of a river crisis? The IDEAthon has been organised to gather attention towards the Ganga River management and also the interconnectivity of the cities with the river. The cities connected with the river need a special focus to capitalize on not only the socio-cultural significance of the river but also the ecological importance and economic potential which can help the city, if properly planned.
The IDEAthon event came up with the outcome that more attention is required towards river management. The cities connected with the river need special focus in creating awareness about the ecological importance and potential of the river to help the cities. The IDEAthon sought to brainstorm the learnings from COVID-19 pandemic, the following lockdown and its impact on river management. The IDEAthon has created a framework called River Management in a city’s urban river management plan. The NAMAMI Gange programme will bring out a plan or policy based on the suggestions provided by the IDEAthon.
NAMAMI GANGE PROJECT –
The National Mission on Clean Ganga was implemented by the National Council for Rejuvenation Protection and Management of River Ganga also known as the National Ganga Council. This mission was started in the year 2011. It is an initiative taken by the Government of India to address the pollution of river Ganga by providing financial and technical assistance.
