Governmental Roles and Responsibilities in Ganga Rejuvenation: Policy Framework, Implementation Challenges and the Road Ahead

Abstract

Nearly 43% of India's economy is supported by the Ganges, the country's longest and most revered river. About 27% of India's land area is covered by its basin, which includes Bangladesh, China (Tibet), India, and Nepal. However, the river is severely degraded despite its ecological and cultural significance due to unplanned urbanisation, fast population increase, rising industry, excessive use of agrochemicals, and infrastructure that obstructs its natural flow. The Namami Gange Program is one of several conservation efforts that have attempted to stop this loss since 1985. Nevertheless, neither the restoration of the river's uninterrupted flow (aviralta) nor the achievement of long-term improvements in water quality have been achieved. This study uses a collaborative governance lens and a historical-analytical approach to track policy changes from 1985 and evaluate the Namami Gange Program's efficacy. It cites the systematic disregard of tributaries as a major cause of policy failure based on government data (CPCB, NMCG, CAG, State Pollution Control Boards), parliamentary records, IIT consortium papers, and independent reviews. About 60% of the Ganga's flow and a significant portion of its pollution burden come from its tributaries. Despite the existence of formal interagency cooperation channels, their practical performance is subpar. Weak accountability, delayed initiatives, and underutilised budgets are the results of this fragmentation. The restoration of London's River Thames, on the other hand, shows how persistent public pressure combined with methodical, long-term intervention can result in noticeable improvements in water quality. The study comes to the conclusion that a deeper lack of responsibility among the institutions and people in charge of the Ganga's conservation is more likely to be the cause of the ongoing inability to revitalise the river than technical or financial limitations.