Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jal Shakti Minister, presented awards to the winners of Ganga Quest 2019

On June 5, 2019, In an event organized by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to celebrate World Environment Day 2019, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, presented the awards to the winners of Ganga Quest 2019, a month-long online quiz organized for awareness and knowledge dissemination about river Ganga in the presence of Shri U.P. Singh, Secretary, and Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, NMCG along with other senior officials of the ministry.

Key points:

• The quiz had commenced on 22nd April 2019 (World Earth Day) and ended on 22nd May, 2019 (World Biodiversity Day). It was organized by NMCG in partnership with Wild Life Institute of India, Tree Craze foundation, GIZ and VA Tech WABAG.
• Nearly, 36,500 students participated in the competition from all over India. The competition was done for four categories – up to class 8, class 8-10, class 11-12 and open for all.
• A cadre of self-motivated volunteers from the local communities, Ganga Praharis, created by Wild Life Institute of India, was felicitated during the event for their work on biodiversity conservation and cleanliness of the Ganga River.
• An Agreement was signed for Howrah, Bally and Baranagar & Kamarhati STP projects under Hybrid Annuity based Public-Private Partnership(PPP) mode for West Bengal. It is the first project awarded in West Bengal under the concept of One City One Operator through Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode.
• The project includes development of 3 new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of total 165 Million Litres per Day (MLD) capacity – 65 MLD in Howrah, 40 MLD at Bally and 60 MLD at Baranagar& Kamarhati,rehabilitation of existing 22 MLD STP in Bally, laying of 16 kms of sewerage network, rehabilitation of existing pumping stations & associated infrastructure and Operation & Maintenance of entire assets for a period of 15 years. It is assigned to VA Tech Wabag at a cost of Rs 592 Crore.
• During the event, 2 books published by ‘Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies’ on Biodiversity in Ganga River System and Improving conditions of water bodies in the vicinity of paper and pulp industries in Ganga River Basin were released, along with two radio jingles on Water Conservation created by National Water Mission.

About Ministry of Jal Shakti:
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi
♦ Minister In-Charge: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat