Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Paatil chaired the 17th meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF) on January 5, 2026, reinforcing the government’s commitment to technology-driven river rejuvenation under the Namami Gange Programme. The meeting focused on strengthening data-based decision-making, advanced monitoring mechanisms, and compliance frameworks, with special emphasis on drainage mapping and smart surveillance of sewage treatment infrastructure.
High-Level Participation and Inter-Ministerial Coordination
The meeting brought together senior officials from the central and state governments, including the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, secretaries from the Departments of Water Resources and Drinking Water & Sanitation, and senior leadership of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Representatives from key ministries—Power, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Home Affairs—also participated, underlining the inter-sectoral nature of Ganga rejuvenation.
Progress in Pollution Abatement Infrastructure
Expressing satisfaction with on-ground progress, Shri Paatil lauded the completion of 15 pollution abatement infrastructure projects during the current calendar year. He termed this a significant achievement, attributing it to improved coordination, focused implementation, and effective monitoring.
Among states, Uttar Pradesh led with six completed projects, followed by Bihar and West Bengal with four and three projects respectively, while Uttarakhand and Delhi completed one project each.
Promoting Reuse of Treated Wastewater and Innovation
The ETF underscored the importance of safe reuse of treated wastewater as a cornerstone of sustainable river management. The Minister directed all states to expeditiously finalise policies aligned with the national framework and to set clear reuse targets supported by enabling policy notifications.
The meeting also highlighted innovative and research-led interventions, including aquifer mapping focused on paleo-channels, bioremediation, innovative sewerage treatment projects, and CETPs, as essential to building a resilient river management ecosystem.
GIS-Based Drain Monitoring: A First-of-Its-Kind Initiative
A key highlight was the review of the project on Aerial Survey for Drainage Mapping and GIS-Based Visualisation Dashboard for the State of Uttar Pradesh. The initiative leverages advanced geospatial tools—LiDAR-based scientific data integrated with drone-generated visual data—to create a live Drain Dashboard with 2D and 3D visualisation capabilities.
The dashboard enables:
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Basin-level pollution monitoring
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Identification of pollution hotspots
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Prioritisation of drain remediation
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Preparation of accurate DPRs with clear identification of primary, secondary, and tertiary drains and their pollution loads
Shri Paatil emphasised timely field-level validation by District Ganga Committees and stronger coordination among states and departments to ensure targeted interventions.
Strengthening STP Surveillance with AI and CCTV
To enhance compliance and operational effectiveness of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), NMCG is introducing CCTV-based real-time monitoring integrated with AI-enabled feature extraction and a centralised dashboard.
While STPs are already monitored through OCEMS—tracking parameters such as BOD, COD, DO, pH, and TSS and integrated with the public Ganga Pulse dashboard—the new system adds a crucial visual and physical monitoring layer to address operational gaps.
Cleanliness Drives, Transparency, and Urban Resilience
The Minister appreciated NMCG’s weekly cleanliness drives under the nationwide campaign “Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” launched during Swachhata Hi Seva 2025. He also welcomed the public disclosure of STP performance via the Ganga Pulse portal.
Further, updates were shared on the River City Alliance, where NMCG, RCA, and UN-Habitat collaborated on workshops to help cities adopt river-sensitive urban development, nature-based solutions, and climate-resilient futures.
Financial Discipline and Governance
The ETF cleared the Annual Accounts of NMCG, noting strong financial discipline and a reduction in pending utilisation certificates—an achievement commended by the Jal Shakti Minister.
Conclusion
Concluding the meeting, Shri C. R. Paatil applauded the collective efforts of all stakeholders and expressed confidence that integrated, technology-driven, and data-backed initiatives will continue to accelerate Ganga rejuvenation. The convergence of advanced monitoring, policy reform, innovation, and transparency, he noted, is laying a robust foundation for a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient river ecosystem.
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Source: PIB
