Clean Ganges

OzGREEN has been working alongside the Sankat Mochan Foundation in India for over 25 years to restore the health of the Ganges River.

The Swatcha Ganga Abhiyan (Clean Ganges Campaign) is an initiative of the Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF), a not for profit organisation with a vision to see not one drop of sewage flowing into River Ganga at Varanasi.

Founded in 1982, the SMF office, research laboratory and environmental education centre are located on the banks of River Ganga at Tulsi Ghat.

The Swatcha Ganga Campaign is focused on six key areas:

  • The Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory (SGRL) monitors river water quality and provides essential information to the public about the health of River Ganga.

  • Building the capacity of youth and community to lead change and create innovative solutions

  • Provision of clean water, health and welfare programs in the communities worst affected by sewage pollution, including the Ganges Village Women and Water project undertaken in 2022.

  • that remove dangerous disease- causing pathogens, are energy efficient to operate and treat sewage as an essential resource, so that water, nutrients and energy can be recovered and re-used

  • Speaking for Ganga with scientific know-how, local relevance, cultural authority, religious observances and historic commitment. Advocate in the media, public speaking events and by directly lobbying key decision makers.

  • The Mothers for Mother group was established in 2018, enabling local women to become active members of the Swatcha Ganga Campaign.

“Hero of the Planet”

The SMF’s remarkable achievements are recognised locally, nationally and globally, including representation on key advisory groups such as the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA). SMF Founder-President Prof VB Mishra was recipient of the prestigious UN Global 500 Award and acclaimed by Time Magazine as a “Hero of the Planet”.

The innovation of a unique, sustainable and effective engineering solutions combined with culturally appropriate community participation and persistent and sustained work to achieve the goal of stopping the flow of sewage into religious bathing areas of Varanasi is a potent model and inspiration for many other river cities in India and beyond.

A unique, community-based solution to a major problem

  • India since 1992 when OzGREEN founders Sue and Colin Lennox first travelled to India for the River Ganges Teacher Forum. Sue and Colin provided the SMF with water testing equipment and trained 40 local volunteers to monitor the quality of the water.

    Following this initial visit, OzGREEN became involved in the Clean Ganges Campaign and the establishment of the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory.

  • The Sankat Mochan Foundation was founded in 1982 by the late VB Mishra (1939-2013) and a team of dedicated colleagues. Veer Bhadra Mishra was Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Mahant of the Sankat Mochan Temple. Until his last breath, Mahantji took a holy dip in River Ganga water everyday. Following his father’s death, Professor Vishwambhar Nath Mishra became President of SMF and Mahant of Sankat Mochan Temple. He is a Professor of Electronics at BHU.

  • The SMF is governed by a dedicated team of honorary directors. They are advised by some of India’s top engineers and scientists. They have collaborated with international Friends of the Ganges support groups in USA, Sweden and Australia for over 30 years.

  • The SMF’s research laboratory and environmental education centre are located on the banks of River Ganga at Tulsi Ghat. Local activities include:

    • Mobilising public attention about river pollution.

    • Regular monitoring of river water quality.

    • Environmental education and leadership programs for youth and community,

    • Safe drinking water programs.

    • Removing solid waste from River Ganga water along the ghats.

    • Advocating for effective sewage treatment systems to solve the problem.

    • Upgrade the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory (completed).

    • Upgrade Swatcha Ganga Environmental Education Centre.

    • Install eco-sanitation systems in villages affected by pollution from sewage treatment plant in Chiraigoan Block.

    • Community education to facilitate informed active community participation, including targeted programs for women and youth.

    • Advocate for effective solutions and bring Government and civil society together to work for the best possible outcomes.

  • OzGREEN has been involved in a range of projects, including:

    • Providing training and water quality testing equipment to the Sankat Mochan Foundation to establish the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory

    • Filming the Swatcha Ganga video (winner of United Nations Media Peace Prize) 1994

    • Establishing Friends of the Ganges Australia in 1994

    • Participating in a 60 Minutes (Australia) film story about Swatcha Ganga Campaign

    • Establishing the Swatcha Ganga Environmental Education Centre at Tulsi Ghat 1999.

    • Designing and raising funds for mini-tube wells.

    • Installing numerous mini tube wells in a number of villages to provide clean drinking water benefiting over 10,000 people.

    • Delivering youth action river programs involving hundreds of Benares school children

    • Speaking about the Sankat Mochan Fountation at a TEDX talk in California

    • Engaging over 4,000 youth in other environmental leadership programs since 2002

    • Training 50 YOUth LEADing the World Facilitators in Varanasi

    • Upgrading the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory in 2018

    • Helping to establish a new Mothers for Mother group to engage women in the campaign for Clean Ganga

Time for Action

Thanks to the support of the Australian High Commission in Delhi, the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory has had a major upgrade to celebrate the 25th Anniversary in 2018.

Recent testing by the Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory indicates severe levels of sewage pollution of religious bathing areas of Varanasi (see Table 1).

Table 1 - Ganga Water Quality Religious Bathing Areas of Varanasi on 10th June 2019

The SMF welcomes any opportunities to collaborate with government and community towards achieving the goal for Ganga to be clean.

  • If your organisation is interested in sponsoring the ‘Clean Ganges’ program, please contact Anna:

    Anna Juodvalkis

    Partnerships Manager

    anna@ozgreen.org.au

    02 5615 8108

  • If you have any questions about the ‘Clean Ganges’ program, please contact Sue:

    Sue Lennox

    Clean Ganges Program Manager

    OzGREEN

    sue@ozgreen.org.au

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