BOOK REVIEW
The Book “Ganga: Reimagining, Rejuvenating, Reconnecting” jointly authored by two civil servants Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director-General and Puskal Upadhyay, former Director (Finance), NMCG, who have served the cause of Ganga through National Mission for Clean Ganga have penned down chronological journey of the NMCG as insiders so far, overcoming challenges of over-exploitation of its waters for development and other purposes, age-old beliefs and traditions, their collaboration with Central and state government and district administrations to achieve their goals. The book is their story of understanding Ganga, getting connected to it and then trying their best to rejuvenate it. Ganga rejuvenation sounds simple to proclaim, but the challenge is more than a handful. The authors recall their bewilderment at the unfolding of the different layers of the problem, like an onion, only this appears not one but many.
By Onkareshwar Pandey
How do you even begin to think of Re-imagining, Rejuvenating and Reconnecting with Ma Ganga, India’s longest and most revered river, that traverses, along with its tributaries through eleven states and provides livelihood to nearly 43% of the country’s population?
The dilemma facing the officials of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was not just the enormity of the task at hand, but also having to bear the scar of past failures.
A legacy that will haunt them at every step throughout their long, complex, and daunting journey.
From the beginning, the organization had realized the importance of a radically different and holistic approach to resolve the “wicked problem”, which not only included stakeholders from different strata of society with their needs and aspirations, but also the clash of ideas on the road ahead from different intellectuals and well-wishers.
Hence, the scope of the mission was expanded to include afforestation, tributaries clean-up, nurturing of wetlands, natural springs and redevelopment of old ghats.
This insider account of two change makers chronicles the journey of the NMCG so far, overcoming challenges of over-exploitation of its waters for development and other purposes, age-old beliefs and traditions, their collaboration with Central and state government and district administrations to achieve their goals.
More importantly, it brought back some of the love and respect of the people for its Mother Goddess.
The authors are civil servants and consider it an opportunity to have served the cause of Ganga. The book is their story of understanding Ganga, getting connected to it and then trying their best to rejuvenate it. Ganga rejuvenation sounds simple to proclaim, but the challenge is more than a handful. The authors recall their bewilderment at the unfolding of the different layers of the problem, like an onion, only this appears not one but many.
Their despair to do something and the desperation to find a solution and anxiety to meet the expectations of a nation makes one get a feel of the environment in the only organization assigned with this task, National Mission for Clean Ganga.
The story is not only about Ganga rejuvenation, it is also about the organization which is making this happen. Starting with a handful of resources and in no time having a mega budget with an unsurmountable responsibility would make anyone wonder how they have survived. And they have actually more than survived with an enviable record of project preparation, sanction and execution, unheard and unseen in government environment.
Ganga Reimagining, Rejuvenating, Reconnecting Replete with personal experiences of finding solutions under extreme conditions, working without manpower and innovating ways to meet the challenges at hand, the book is as much a read in project management and start up story, to make an interesting example to be emulated.
Building a team and its own capacity, while making its core objective happen is something that should interest any of us The authors provide a factual and realistic information about the developments for the cause of Ganga rejuvenation explaining basic concepts like environmental flow, rejuvenation as compared to cleaning and basin planning in a subtle manner, making anyone understand the issue from basics.