ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS (E-FLOWS) MONITORING SYSTEM -
ENVIRONMENT
News: Jal Shakti Ministry
launches portal to ecologically monitor the Ganga
What's in the news?
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The Union Jal Shakti Ministry's launch of the e-flow ecological
monitoring system is indeed a significant development in the realm of river
management and environmental conservation.
Key Takeaways:
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The Government of
India mandated in 2018 minimum E-flow for various stretches of the Ganga River
to be maintained year-round.
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Following this, the National
Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), an arm of the Jal Shakti Ministry, laid
down the flow specifications essential for
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Preserving the river's ecological balance, safeguarding aquatic life.
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Ensuring sustainability amidst diverse water usage demands.
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From the upper Ganga Basin to its confluences and beyond, stringent
measures are in place to ensure compliance with E-flow norms, benefiting both
existing and future projects.
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With monitoring and regulatory mechanisms, Ganga's ecological resilience
is being safeguarded for generations to come.
E-Flows:
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Environmental Flows (E-flows) refers to the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine
ecosystems and the human livelihoods that depend on these ecosystems.
Development:
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It is an integral component of the PRAYAG
portal which is a real-time monitoring centre for the planning and
monitoring of projects, river water quality, and other crucial parameters.
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This portal encompasses online dashboards such as the Ganga Tarang
Portal, Project Management Tool Dashboard, and the Ganga Districts Performance
Monitoring System.
Uniqueness:
1. Real-time Monitoring:
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The system allows for real-time monitoring of river quality, which is crucial
for planning and monitoring various projects.
2. Data Utilization:
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It uses data from quarterly reports by the Central Water Commission to
track key parameters such as inflow, outflow, and mandated E-flow across 11
projects along the Ganga mainstream.
Key Features:
1. Monitoring River Quality:
●
The system monitors the water quality of the Ganga, Yamuna, and their
tributaries.
2. Namami Gange Programme:
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It includes monitoring the performance of sewage treatment plants (STPs)
to ensure they operate at their rated capacity.
3. Central Level Monitoring:
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Activities under the Namami Gange programme are monitored at the central
level.
Mandated E-flows in River Ganga:
●
Upper Ganga - 2 % of monthly
average flow of the preceding 10 days during the dry season (Nov to Mar) and
25% during monsoon season (Jun to Sept).
●
Middle Ganga - 25 % of monthly
average flow of the preceding 10 days during the dry season (Nov to Mar) and
30% during monsoon season (Jun to Sept).
● Lower Ganga - 30 % of monthly average flow of the preceding 10 days during the dry season (Nov to Mar)and 35% during monsoon season (Jun to Sept).