Dehradun: Under the ambitious flagship Namami Gange Programme launched by the Government of India in 2014, aimed at ensuring the cleanliness, uninterrupted flow, and purity of the sacred Ganga, the first step involved identifying 15 key towns along the river’s main course—from Badrinath to Devprayag and from Gangotri to Haridwar. These towns include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Swargashram, Tapovan, Muni-ki-Reti, Kirtinagar, Srinagar, Shrikot, Nandprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Gopeshwar-Chamoli, Joshimath, Badrinath, and Uttarkashi.
To prevent pollution caused by drains discharging into the Ganga, 62 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) with a combined capacity of 244.47 MLD were approved along the main river. Of these, 51 STPs, with a capacity of 195.355 MLD, have already been completed and are operational. In Uttarakhand, 170 polluted drains discharging into the Ganga have been identified, out of which 155 have been successfully tapped. The remaining 15 drains are in the process of being connected to 11 STPs currently under construction, with a total capacity of 49.122 MLD.
The positive outcomes of these technical interventions and public awareness initiatives under the Namami Gange programme are now becoming visible on the ground, contributing significantly to the cleanliness and purity of the Ganga and its tributaries.
According to reports by the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board (UKPCB), in 2013–14, the water quality of the Ganga in Haridwar was classified as Category D (fit for fisheries). After the launch of the programme, the water quality improved to Category C (drinkable after treatment) in 2015. By 2025, the water quality had further improved to Category A (drinkable) in Rishikesh and Category B (fit for bathing) in Haridwar. This clearly demonstrates that the Namami Gange programme is producing tangible results in restoring the river’s purity.
Uttarakhand has also become the first state in India to approve and implement a policy on the Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW), developed in collaboration with GIZ (German International Cooperation), in line with the national SRTW framework. Under this policy, treated water from STPs will be effectively reused for construction, firefighting, irrigation, and other purposes, thereby conserving fresh water resources.
To further enhance the quality of treated water, Tertiary Treatment Plants will be established in accordance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) standards, ensuring higher levels of purification.
District Ganga Committees are also preparing District Ganga Plans across all 13 districts of the state, focusing on liquid waste management, faecal sludge, municipal solid waste, and water conservation. Plans for eight districts have already been completed and are under implementation, while the remaining five are in preparation.
While tapping polluted drains remains a primary focus, the state government is also promoting co-treatment facilities for the safe treatment and disposal of septage collected from household septic tanks. So far, five co-treatment projects are operational (Haridwar – 2, Rishikesh – 1, Devprayag – 1, Srinagar – 1). Additionally, one Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP), with a capacity of 125 KLD, is operational in Rudrapur—the first and largest of its kind in Uttarakhand, catering to the entire city.
