Namami Gange Forestry Interventions for Ganga

Introduction

'Namami Gange Programme', is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as 'Flagship Programme' by the Government of India in June 2014 with twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River ‘Ganga’.

Forestry Interventions for Ganga is a sub part of Namami Gange Programme with objective of sustainable forest management for the benefit of the Ganga river basin with the motto of Aviral and Nirmal Dhara, Ecological Rejuvenation, Promotion of Tourism and Shipping & Knowledge Management of Ganga. For the first time in India, riverscape level planning and assessments have been adopted for the longest river for treatment. Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand (India) has prepared the DPR (Detailed Project Report) for the interventions need to be carried out under entire catchment of river Ganga. The implementation of DPR will take the process of afforestation to a new level where the plantation will be done on basis of priority sites, species, and interest of local communities as well as its sustainability.

Components

Project Area have been divided into different Landscapes and Specific treatments corresponding to each Landscapes and sites have been proposed as follows:-

1. Natural Landscape: Mainly Plantations along with some other subsidiary activities like Protection of the river basin, Habitat Management, Soil and Moisture Conservation, Weed Control, Eco Restoration for increasing forest cover in the catchment areas.
2. Agricultural Landscape: Mainly plantation of Fruit Plants of economic value in private/community land.
3. Urban Landscape: Activities River Front Development, Ganga Vatika, Institutional and Industrial Estate Plantation, Avenue Plantation.
4. Conservation Interventions: Soil and Water Conservation, Riparian Wild Life Management and Wetland Management (Natural and Artificial).
5. Supporting Activities: Capacity building, awareness, monitoring and evaluation.

Territorial Management

Catchment of River Ganga and it's 11 Tributaries Bhagirathi, Assi Ganga, Balganga, Nayar, Dhauli Ganga, Alaknanda, Mandakini, Nandakini, Pindar, Saung

Project Area is spread over 21 Forest Divisions of 5 Circles & 3 Protected Areas

Protected Areas

Ganga Vatika

For creating awareness about keeping rivers clean the concept of Ganga Vatika was proposed. The natural layout of the land about conservation of Natural Ecosystem on the banks of river Ganges maneuvered in such a way that the aesthetic beauty will be enhanced without much investment.