THE GANGES RIVER
NATIONAL
RIVER IN INDIA
PRESENTED BY
Praveen mishra
INTRODUCTION
The Ganges
The Ganges or Ganga, is a trans-boundary
river of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km
(1,569 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in
the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south
and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India
into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of
Bengal. By discharge it ranks among the world's
top 20 rivers. The Ganges basin is the most
heavily populated river basin in the world, with over
400 million people and a population density of
about 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.
COURSE
The Ganga originates in the Himalayas after the
confluence of six rivers.
The streams are fed by the melting snow and ice
from the glaciers.
It emerges from the Himalayas at the pilgrimage town
of Haridwar.
THE GANGA WHICH TILL THIS POINT FLOWS IN A SOUTH
WESTERN DIRECTION NOW BEGINS TO FLOW IN A SOUTH
EASTERN DIRECTION.
IT IS JOINED BY RIVER YAMUNA AT A
POINT CALLED SANGAM A SCARED
PLACE IN HIDUSIM.
It flows through the plains and enters Bangladesh.
It fans out into the 350km wide Ganges Delta.
It empties into the Bay of Bengal.
HISTORY
Megasthanese was the first Westerner to
mention Ganges in his work Indika.
Jawarharlal Nehru in his book ‘ Discovery of India’ says
The story of the Ganges from her source to the sea
is the story of India’s civilization and culture, of the
rise and fall of empires ,of great and proud cities,
of adventures of man…..
The Ganga is mentioned in the RigVeda, the earliest Hindu scriptures
Ancient scriptures mention that The Ganges
carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu’s feet
and hence the name ‘Vishnupadi’ meaning
‘Emanating from the lotus feet of the
Lord Vishnu’.
Supreme
The Ganga is worshipped by the Hindus
and personified as a Goddess.
Hindu belief holds that
bathing in the River
causes
forgiveness of sins and
helps attain salvation.
Drinking the water of The Ganges is believed
to purify the soul.
Scientists and religious leaders have speculated on the
causes of the river's apparent self-purification effect, in
which water-borne bacteria such as dysentery and cholera
are killed off, thus preventing large-scale epidemics. Some
studies have reported that the river retains more oxygen
than is typical for comparable rivers; this could be a factor
leading to fewer disease agents being present in the water.
ECONOMY

The Ganges
basin with its
fertile soil is
instrumental to
the agricultural
economy of
India.

The Ganges with
its tributaries
provides a
perennial source
of irrigation for
crops.
IRRIGATION FACILITIES
HARIDWAR DAM-DIVERT MUCH HIMALAYA
SNOWMELT IN TO UPPER GANGA CANAL BUILT
BY BRITISH IN 1854 TO IRRIGATE THE
SURROUNDING LAND.
ELECTRICITY FACILITIES
HYDROELECTRIC DAM
TEHRI DAM
THE MOST CONROVERSIAL TEHRI DAM OF TEHRI
HYDROPROJECT ON RIVER BHAGIRATHI.IT IS MULTI
PURPOSE RIVER VALLY PROJECT.
8TH TALLEST DAM IN THE WORLD
POWER GENRATION CAPCITY-2400 MW
IRRIGATION-6000 KM
DRINKING WATER
SPENT 8298 CR
TOURISM
The three towns holy to Hinduism – Haridwar,
Varanasi and Allahabad attract thousands of
pilgrims to its waters.
MANY NATIONAL PARK IS
SITUATED IN GANGA
BASIN, LIVE IN ANIMAL.
SUNDERBANS DELTA
SUNDERBAN WORLD LARGEST
DELTA, FAST DISAPPEARING
IN TO SEA.
42000 SQ KM
HOME ROYAL BENGAL
TIGER
The rapids of the Ganges are popular river
rafting area, attracting hundreds of adventure
seekers in the summer months.
GANA IS ALSO LIFELINE TO
MILLION OF INDIANS
ECOLOGY
 The Ganges collects large
amounts of human
pollutants as it flows
through highly populous
areas, carrying high health
risk of infection.
 The Ganga Action Plan has
been set up under the
Indian government and is
attempting to build waste
treatment facilities.
The Environmental Problems
The Ganges was ranked among the top
five most polluted rivers of the world
in 2007, with fecal coliform levels in the
river near Varanasi more than hundred
times the official Indian government
limits. Pollution threatens not only
humans, but also more than 140 fish
species, 90 amphibian species and the
endangered Ganges river dolphin.It is
filled with chemical wastes, sewage and
even human and animal remains which
carry major health risks by either direct
bathing in the dirty water, or by drinking.
The condition of the Ganges
PAST
PRESENT
Ganga Action Plan (GAP)
The Ganga Action Plan or GAP was a program launched
by Rajiv Gandhi in April 1985 in order to reduce the pollution
load on the river. The program was launched with much fanfare,
but it failed to decrease the pollution level in the river, after
spending 901.71 crore (approx.1010) rupees over a period of 15
years.
The activities of GAP phase I initiated in 1985 were declared
closed on 31 March 2000. The steering Committee of the national
river conservation Authority reviewed the progress of the GAP
and necessary correction on the basis of lessons learned and
experiences gained from the GAP phase; 2.00 schemes have
been completed under this plan. A million liters of sewage is
targeted to be intercepted, diverted and treated. The Phase-II of
the program was approved in stages from 1993 onwards, and
included the following tributaries of Ganga: Yamuna, Gomti,
Damodar and Mahananda. As of 2011, it is currently under
implementation.
SWAMI NIGAMANAND
SARIFICE TO SAVE THE
GANGA.
UMA BHARATI
FORMER
C.M.(M.P)