NGOs Committee for Ganga Action Plan Formed


The Minister for Environment & Forests, Shri Suresh Prabhu has been holding a series of pro-active consultations with different sections of society regarding the Ganga Action Plan (GAP), since he assumed charge last year. Meetings have been held with Members of Parliament (MPs) from the states through which the river runs, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) which are actively involved with the GAP, we well as local representatives from these states. These include Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and heads of local bodies. These meetings have been held not only in New Delhi, but also when the Minister visited the states through which the river flows. It is hoped, that these interactions will lead to the better implementation of the GAP in its second phase, as the implementation process would involve the ideas of those directly involved with the project.

Following these interactions, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has formed a committee with eminent representatives from NGOs for the GAP. The committee will suggest steps to be taken for improving the effectiveness of the GAP in its second phase, taking into consideration the short comings noticed by NGOs. The first phase of the GAP, which was approved in June 1985 is now nearing completion.

The 11 member committee will have only one member from the Ministry of Environment & Forests. The rest of the members belong to leading NGOs. The members of the committee are :

    1.  Dr GD Agarwal                                              Chairman
    2.  Professor VB Mishra, Head, Civil Engineering               Member
        Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
    3.  Shri Rakesh Jaiswal, Eco-Friends, Kanpur                   Member
    4.  Professor KJ Nath, Calcutta                                Member
    5.  Shri MC Mehta                                              Member
    6.  Dr RK Pachauri, Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI)      Member
    7.  Representative of Centre for Environment Education,        Member
        Ahmedabad
    8.  Representative of Centre for Science & Environment         Member
    9.  Representative of Ganga Sewa Sabha                         Member
    10. Representative of Indian Institute of Technology,          Member
        (IIT), Kanpur
    11. Shri R Rajgopal, Director, National River Conservation     Member Secretary
        Division (NRCD), Ministry of Environment & Forests