2.
Mem
M orandum of A emen
Agree nt
betw
ween
India Inst
an titutes of Te
echnolo
ogy’s
IIT Bombay IIT Delhi IIT Guw
wahati IIT Kanp
pur
IIT K
Kharagpur IIT Madras
M IIT Roor
rkee
an
nd
Ministr of E
M ry Enviro
onment and Forest
t ts
Gov
vernme of I
ent India
fo prepara
or ation of the
Gan R
nga River B
Basin Man ment Plan
nagem P
July 6, 2010
,
New Delhi

3. Memorandum of Agreement
between
Indian Institutes of Technology
[Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee]
and
Ministry of Environment and Forests
Government of India
for preparation of the
Ganga River Basin Management Plan
1. Preamble
The river Ganga is of unique importance ascribed to reasons that are
geographical, historical, socio-cultural and economic, giving it the
status of a National River. It has been facing serious threat due to
discharge of increasing quantities of sewage effluents, trade
effluents and other pollutants on account of rapid urbanization,
industrialization and agricultural growth.
The challenge is compounded due to competing demands for river
water for irrigation, domestic purposes, industrial use and power.
There is need to ensure effective abatement of pollution and
conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach
to promote inter-sectorial coordination for comprehensive planning
and management. It is equally important to maintain minimum
ecological flows in river Ganga with the aim of ensuring water
quality through environmentally sustainable development.
In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (3) of
Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), the
Central Government has constituted National Ganga River Basin
Authority (NGRBA) as a planning, financing, monitoring and
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4. coordinating authority for strengthening the collective efforts of the
Central and State Government for effective abatement of pollution
and conservation of the river Ganga.
One of the important functions of the NGRBA is to prepare and
implement a Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP).
It is proposed to develop the GRBMP based on scientific application
of modern tools and technologies combined with traditional wisdom.
It has been decided that the GRBMP be prepared jointly by the seven
Indian Institutes of Technology’s (IITs) namely IITs at Bombay, Delhi,
Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee. This will help
leverage the vast knowledge base and experience of IITs in the fields
of environment, water resources, ecology & bio-diversity, system
integration, etc. The consortium will take up this project in the
manner of a Technology Development Mission.
2. Objectives of the GRBMP
The objective of the integrated river basin management plan will be
maintenance and restoration of wholesomeness of the Ganga system
and improvement of its ecological health with due regard to
resolution of conflict of interest in water uses in the entire river
basin. This entails preparation of a Plan that has adequate provision
for soil, water and energy conservation to accommodate growing
population, urbanization, industrialization and agriculture while
ensuring that the following fundamental aspects of the river system
are protected:
a) Continuous flow (Aivarla Qaara),
b) Un-Polluted flow (inama-la Qaara),
c) Longitudinal and lateral connectivity,
d) Adequate space for various river functions, and
e) Function as an ecological entity.
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5. 3. Deliverables of the Project
The Ganga River Basin Management Plan would provide action plans
with specific projects to be taken up, policy interventions and
management actions along with financial implications. A number of
intermediate reports will be prepared containing actionable projects
and concrete proposals. Intermediate reports would include status
reports and simulated future scenarios on various aspects of the
Ganga Basin with atlases, databases, modeling tools, etc. These will
broadly include surface and ground water resources, ecological
resources, river flows; pollutant loads- point and non-point,
domestic and industrial, toxic and hazardous; cultural, livelihood,
agricultural and urbanization.
The Mission on Restoration of the River Ganga will comprise of
several subject specific Sub-missions. The details of Sub-missions
will be worked out and would include interventions for
implementation in a phased manner delineating short term, medium
term and long term measures. These would contain financial, social,
economical and environmental implications including measurable
and verifiable indicators for ascertaining beneficial and positive
impact on Ganga System.
4. Time Frame of the Project
The Basin Management Plan will be rolling and dynamic in nature
and would identify projects to be undertaken, policy interventions
required and non-project investments. The preparation of the first
phase of the Plan will be completed within a period of 18 months
from the date of signing of this agreement. Endeavor will be made to
complete the work in 12 months.
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6. 5. Duties & Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of different institutions will be
broadly as under:
IITs:
IITs will nominate faculty members and scientific/ technical staff for
accomplishing the task within the stipulated period. They will also
utilize their infrastructure and facilities such as laboratories as per
requirement on a payment basis. At least one senior level faculty
member from each IIT will be nominated to the team on full time
basis. IITs will deploy suitable M. Tech / Ph. D students in the
project. This would help develop a pool of talented and well
qualified scientists in the field of river conservation. They would
prepare detailed time frames for various interim and final
deliverables and ensure that agreed time frames are adhered to.
As the coordinating institute, IIT Kanpur would be responsible for
notifying the required actions, achieving and monitoring progress to
ensure deliverables within the prescribed time frame. It would
ensure setting up of Project Management Board (PMB) and Project
Implementation and Coordination Committee (PICC). The PMB will
include members from all participating IITs. The PICC will include
thematic group leaders and others chosen in such a way that it will
necessarily have representation from each of the seven IITs.
Coordinating institute would receive funds from MoEF and disburse
to other IITs/institutes/universities and act as the nodal institute for
all interactions, correspondence and organizing meetings with MoEF.
MoEF:
MoEF will nominate officers to participate in meetings, workshops
and execution of various tasks/events. It will provide administrative
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7. support for obtaining information/secondary data for the purpose of
development of databases, maps, atlases, etc. MoEF will also help
provide the IITs with relevant documents, reports, data, and
facilitate the ministries and departments of central and state
governments. It will extend assistance to and liaise with the PICC
regularly for expediting progress of the project, coordination with
relevant government departments/organizations/national laboratories/institutions
and other agencies. MoEF will release grants to IITs from time to
time based on requirement and demands and to coordinate any
other aspects and actions connected with the project.
6. Disbursement of Financial Resources
MoEF will release funds for the project to IIT Kanpur who will be
responsible for disbursement of funds to other participating
institutes. Other participating institutes will submit Utilization
Certificate (UC) to IIT Kanpur. IIT Kanpur will submit consolidated UC
to MoEF and place fresh demand for grant.
7. Project Monitoring
There will be a Project Management Board (PMB) to oversee the work
of the IITs. The PMB will have representation from all seven IITs and
include other eminent persons. In addition, the IITs and MoEF may
constitute a Joint Committee for review of progress of various tasks.
The information for the meetings, agenda papers and circulation of
progress report, etc. will be provided by the Project Coordinator.
Professor Vinod Tare, IIT Kanpur will work as the Project
Coordinator.
8. Duration of the Project
The preparation of first phase of Ganga River Basin Management
Plan (GRBMP) will be completed within a time period of 18 months.
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8. It would be the endeavor of all the IITs to complete the project
within a time period of 12 months.
9. Completion of Project
The project shall be considered to have been successfully completed
when the deliverables of the project are completed and accepted by
the MoEF.
10. Duration of the Agreement
The duration of this MoA will be for a period of 10 years from the
date of its signing. This period includes time beyond the submission
of GRBMP and covers the period for the Plan.
11. Modifications to the Agreement
The agreement including its duration can be modified based on
needs and through mutual consent of all the IITs and the MoEF.
12. Seal of Parties
The parties have signed this agreement on the 6th day of July, 2010.
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