NMCG reviews Namami Gange projects in Varanasi

Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Rajiv Ranjan Mishra held a review meeting of all ongoing projects under Namami Gange programme in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Saturday.

The two main Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) works going on in Varanasi include construction of a 50 MLD STP at Ramana in Varanasi under Hybrid Annuity mode costing Rs. 153.16 crore and construction of a 140 MLD STP in Dinapur in Varanasi.

While the latter is expected to be completed soon, the progress on the Ramana project proceeding at a swift pace.

One of the most important features of this model is that both the Annuity and O&M payments are linked to the performance of the STP. This will ensure continued performance of the assets created due to better accountability, ownership and optimal performance.

Once these two projects are completed, 19 crore litre of sewage water will stop flowing into River Ganga in Varanasi.

Besides this, Ranjan Mishra also reviewed 10 projects of rehabilitation of old trunk sewer in Varanasi, work on all of which are in the final stages of execution.

While reviewing the ongoing Ghat cleaning projects in Varanasi, he also took stock of the progress on project of improvement of 26 bathing ghats in Varanasi which was sanctioned in January 2018 at a cost of Rs. 11.73 crore.

A presentation on the JICA assisted Ganga Action Plan projects, including sewerage, non-sewerage and Institutional Development Plan components costing a total of Rs. 641.19 crore, was also given during the review.