Jal Shakti minister calls for widespread reuse of treated wastewater

Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil called for the widespread adoption of reuse of treated wastewater during a meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF) on Ganga rejuvenation on Wednesday.

The meeting, which was chaired by Paatil, saw the participation of senior officials from the Ministry of Jal Shakti and key ministries, along with state representatives from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, according to an official statement.

Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Rajeev Kumar Mital, delivered a detailed presentation on the progress since the last ETF meeting, focusing on several critical areas such as the reuse of treated water, biodiversity conservation, and the remediation of polluted river stretches.

The session also addressed the River Action Plan and natural farming initiatives to rejuvenate the river.

Paatil underscored the need for close coordination among stakeholders to ensure timely completion of projects under the Namami Gange programme.

"Preserving the sanctity of the sacred river requires dedicated conservation efforts, and the role of rural and urban sanitation cannot be overlooked," he said.

He urged the state governments to expedite the submission of detailed project reports for polluted stretches and ensure that villages along the river achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status.

The minister also emphasised the importance of harnessing tourism potential along the riverbanks, linking it to regional economic development and infrastructure growth.

During the meeting, Paatil called for the widespread adoption of the reuse of treated wastewater.

A National Framework for Reuse of Treated Water has been released by the NMCG, and all states are expected to align their frameworks accordingly, he said.

The reuse of treated water in sectors such as power and construction was highlighted as a priority to reduce reliance on fresh water, the statement said.

Paatil also advocated for Urban River Management Plans, stressing the need to integrate these into broader city-level rejuvenation efforts. He praised the development of the Smart Lab for Clean Rivers, a collaborative initiative with Denmark and IIT-BHU, to support small river rejuvenation.

Natural farming practices along the Ganga basin were identified as a key focus, with the Ministry of Agriculture committing to support the initiative. The ETF plans to upscale activities related to natural farming in the region, the statement said.