Maarg Manthan · Topic 20.20

River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016

Environment & Ecology › Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment · Topic 20.20

The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 was issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 7 October 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to give a stronger legal and institutional framework for rejuvenating the Ganga and its tributaries. It replaced the 2009 order that had created the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which had been set up after the Ganga was declared a National River in November 2008. The 2016 Order set up a layered structure. The National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga, called the National Ganga Council, is chaired by the Prime Minister and gives overall direction and oversight. An Empowered Task Force, chaired by the Union Minister for Water Resources (now Jal Shakti), supervises implementation. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is the implementing authority, and it has powers to issue directions, including to industries and local bodies, and to coordinate programme delivery. At the state level there are State Ganga Committees, and at the district level there are District Ganga Committees in districts through which the Ganga and its tributaries flow, headed by the District Magistrate. The Order allows the NMCG to take measures such as regulating activities that pollute or harm the river, controlling groundwater use in the river basin, and ensuring minimum ecological flow. The Order also lets the authorities take action against polluters. Hedge details: the structure is revised from time to time, so check the latest notifications.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment

At a Glance

Notified 7 October 2016
Parent Act Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
Replaced 2009 NGRBA order
Apex body National Ganga Council, PM
Implementer NMCG
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the personhood topic and explains the formal authority structure for the river, which complements the Namami Gange programme and the Ganga Task Force covered earlier. Previous topic: Ganga and Yamuna Rivers Accorded Legal Personhood Status. Next topic: Smart Ganga City Scheme.

What Bodies Does the 2016 Order Create?

Body	Role
National Ganga Council	Chaired by the Prime Minister; overall direction, oversight and coordination
Empowered Task Force	Chaired by the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (now Jal Shakti); supervises implementation
NMCG	National Mission for Clean Ganga; implementing authority with powers to issue directions
State Ganga Committees	State-level coordination in the Ganga basin states
District Ganga Committees	District Magistrate heads them; local action in districts along the Ganga and tributaries
Parent law	Made under Sections 3 and 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
Earlier body	NGRBA of 2009 was dissolved by the 2016 Order

What Powers and Functions Does It Provide?

Directions: NMCG can issue directions to industries, local bodies and others
Pollution control: can regulate or prohibit polluting activities
Ecological flow: ensure minimum flow in the river
Groundwater: regulate extraction in the basin where needed
Planning: prepare the Ganga river basin management plan
Coordination: with states, urban bodies and industries
Monitoring: water quality and project progress
Funding: Clean Ganga Fund and Namami Gange budget

What Else Should You Remember?

National River: the Ganga was declared one on 4 November 2008
NGRBA: set up in February 2009 under the same Act
NGRBA chair: Prime Minister
Namami Gange: approved in 2015 with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore for five years, later extended
NMCG: registered as a society in 2011 and given authority by this Order
Ganga Basin States: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal
Tributaries: Yamuna, Gomti, Ghaghra, Gandak and Kosi
Section 3 of EPA: central power to take measures
Section 5 of EPA: power to issue directions
Section 15: penalty for contravention
Directions to industries: closure or stoppage of water and power can be directed
Ganga Task Force: ex-servicemen battalions for riverfront protection
Environmental flow: notified in 2018 for the upper Ganga
2018 e-flow notification: set minimum flow norms for stretches such as Haridwar to Unnao
Clean Ganga Fund: created in 2014 to take contributions
River basin management: integrated plan for the basin
Public participation: Ganga Praharis and Ganga Mitra volunteers
Real time monitoring: water quality stations along the main stem
Industrial effluent: grossly polluting industries are inspected
Sewage: the largest source of pollution
Tannery issue: Kanpur tanneries relocation and effluent plants
NGT role: oversees Ganga cases including M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Ganga pollution)
Link to previous: see Ganga and Yamuna Rivers Accorded Legal Personhood Status
Link to next: see Smart Ganga City Scheme
Link to mission: see National Mission for Clean Ganga and Ganga Task Force
Caution: the structure and funds change, so check NMCG notifications
Exam hint: remember 7 October 2016, PM as chair and NMCG as implementer
Why a new Order: The earlier authority met rarely and lacked statutory enforcement, so the new structure aimed at faster decisions and clearer accountability
Cooperative federalism: State Ganga Committees bring Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal into planning and monitoring
Role of the Prime Minister: Chairing the Council signals political priority and helps to resolve disputes between ministries and states
Role of the DM: District Magistrates can act on encroachment, illegal discharge and waste management with police and local bodies
Compliance powers: Directions can cover closure of units, stopping water or power supply and prosecution under the EP Act
Reporting: NMCG reports progress of projects, sewage treatment capacity and water quality to the Council
Basin plan: Planning on a river basin scale, not town by town, is a key aim

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Order: 7 October 2016
Act: EP Act, 1986
Chair: PM chairs the Council
Current affairs link: National Ganga Council meetings
Common errors: confusing NGRBA with the National Ganga Council

As an analytical point, the 2016 Order gave the river a clear chain of command from the Prime Minister to the district, but delivery still depends on sewage treatment, industrial compliance and local participation.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Structure Council to district
Power Directions
Gap Delivery

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Smart Ganga City Scheme. Next topic: Smart Ganga City Scheme.

Key People and Terms

NGC National Ganga Council
ETF Empowered Task Force
NMCG National Mission for Clean Ganga
NGRBA National Ganga River Basin Authority
EPA Environment (Protection) Act
DGC District Ganga Committee

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Notified 7 October 2016.
Council chaired by PM.
Implementer NMCG.
Replaced NGRBA.
District body headed by DM.

Do Not Confuse With

NGRBA and National Ganga Council Old authority versus new council
NMCG and Namami Gange Implementing body versus programme
Council and Task Force Apex body versus empowered supervisor

Memory Hook

Sixteen October: Council at the top, Task Force next, NMCG does the lot.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for the date, bodies and chairs. These points help.

Structure Layers
Powers Directions
Gaps Delivery

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the institutional framework created by the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016.”

How to Answer

Order 2016.
Bodies Layers.
Powers Directions.
Gaps Delivery.

GS Relevance

Prelims: date, parent Act, bodies and chairs. GS Paper 2 and 3: river governance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the River Ganga Authorities Order, 2016?

It is an order issued by the Environment Ministry on 7 October 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, that sets up a structure to rejuvenate, protect and manage the Ganga, with the National Ganga Council, an Empowered Task Force, the National Mission for Clean Ganga, and state and district committees.

Which body did the 2016 Order replace?

It replaced the 2009 order that had created the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was chaired by the Prime Minister and set up after the Ganga was declared a National River in 2008. The new Order shifted to a council, a task force and the NMCG as the implementing authority.

Who heads the National Ganga Council?

The National Ganga Council, formally the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga, is chaired by the Prime Minister. It provides overall direction and oversight, while the Empowered Task Force under the Union Jal Shakti Minister supervises implementation and the NMCG executes projects.

What powers does the NMCG have under the Order?

The NMCG, as the implementing authority, can issue directions to industries and local bodies, regulate activities that pollute the river, coordinate programmes with states, ensure minimum ecological flow and take steps on groundwater regulation where needed, under the powers of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

What are District Ganga Committees?

District Ganga Committees are district-level bodies headed by the District Magistrate in districts through which the Ganga and its tributaries flow. They coordinate local action, such as sewage works, waste management, encroachment control and awareness, and report to the State Ganga Committee and the NMCG.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Ganga Authorities Order was notified in 2016.

True

Under the EP Act.

2 The National Ganga Council is chaired by the Jal Shakti Minister.

False

By the Prime Minister.

3 The NGRBA was replaced by the 2016 Order.