Sankat Mochan Foundation
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Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) is a secular, non-profit, non-political organization founded in 1982 and registered under the "Societies Act" of the Government of India.
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[edit] SMF Vision
- Restoring the Ganges by alleviating its fast deteriorating environmental conditions
- Promoting education and health care programs for the less privileged
- Maintaining and encouraging the age-old cultural traditions of Varanasi in tune with the current environmental needs
[edit] Dr. Veer Bhadra Mishra
The founding president of the SMF is Dr. Veer Bhadra Misrha, Professor of Hydraulic Engineering and former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Banaras Hindu University. He is also the Mahant (High Priest) of the Sankat Mochan Temple at Varanasi founded by poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas. Dr Mishra was recognized on the United Nations Environmental Program's Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1992, and was a TIME Magazines "Hero of the Planet" recipient in 1999 for his work related to cleaning of Ganga through the Sankat Mochan Foundation.
His education has helped him understand threats to the Ganges, and since 1982 he has struggled to open the eyes of bureaucrats and the public. Supported in part by aid from the various individuals and some Govt. agensies of U.S. and Sweden, Mishra juggles his roles as priest and activist.
Motivated most of all by "respect and love for the river," Mishra, working with William Oswald, an engineering professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, proposed what is called an advanced integrated wastewater oxidation pond system (AIWPS). It would store sewage for 45 days, using bacteria and algae to eliminate waste and purify the water. Mishra expects the plan to be adopted but recalls past defeats. "My campaign has been like a game of snakes and ladders. When it has gained speed, a snake has swallowed it up," he says. "But one day I'll dodge all the snakes. Mother Ganges will help me to save her." That's another chant the followers of this modern mahant can truly believe in.
[edit] Pollution of Ganga
The Ganges is 1557 miles long with a basin of 200 to 400 miles wide. The river originates in an ice cave on the southern slopes of the Himalayas and flows eastward emptying into the Bay of Bengal. This artery of India suffers from major pollution.
Over 400 million people live along the Ganges river, an estimated 60,000 persons ritually bathe daily in the holy river. In spiritual and religious significance this river has no equal. While the Ganges may be considered holy, it is not pure. It is filled with chemical wastes, sewage and even the remains of human and animal corpses.
The principal sources of pollution in the Ganga are domestic and industrial wastes. Conservative estimates put the effluents flowing into Ganga at approximately 1.7 billion litres each day out of which 1.4 billion litres is untreated. Most of the urban centres along the banks of Ganga, lack proper sewage treatment facilities. 88% of the pollution originates in 27 cities located along the banks. While industrial pollution accounts for only about a quarter of the whole problem, it is by no means insignificant since most of it is concentrated in specific areas and the effluents are more hazardous. The state of Uttar Pradesh alone is responsible for over 50% of the pollutants entering the river along its entire journey to the sea. Domestic and industrial pollution, combined with deforestation, use of pesticides and fertilisers and other factors, have rendered the water of Ganga unfit for drinking or bathing.
Upstream from Varanasi, one of the major pigrimage sites along the river, the water is comparatively pure, having a low Bio-Oxygen Demand (B.O.D.) and Fecal Coliform Count. However, once the river enters the city these levels rise alarmingly. Measurements taken at the city's various bathing ghats during a few years ago show that the average B.O.D of the water rises by over 1300 percent. The average Fecal Coliform Count at the ghats is over 6000 times what it is before the river enters the city.
The Ganga Action Plan launched in 1986 by the Government of India has not achieved any success despite expenditure of over five billion rupees. Even though the government claims that the schemes under the Ganga Action Plan have been successful, actual measurements and scientific data tell a different story. The failure of the GAP is evident but corrective action is lacking.
[edit] SMF Milestones
| Year | Milestones |
|---|---|
| 1982 | SMF founded by a group of citizens and engineers of Varanasi lead by Prof. Veer Bhadra Mishra |
| 1983 | SMF launches the Swatcha Ganga (Clean Ganges) Campaign, a public education program for raising the awareness about the pollution of Ganga |
| 1986 | Ganga Action Plan (GAP) launched by the Government. Varanasi GAP Phase I includes construction of three sewage treatment plants, pumping stations and electric crematorium at Varanasi. But GAP was a complete failure due to high levels of corruption and poor design stratergy |
| 1992 | SMF and friends of the Ganges (FOG) USA, organize an International Conference on "Pollution Control in River Cities of India: A case study of Ganga at Varanasi" at Tulsi Ghat. Experts from US and Sweden also participate. |
| 1993 | The Swatcha Ganga Research Laboratory (SGRL) established with support od Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SNF), laboratory data establishes the inefficiency of GAP Phase I schems. This state-of-art laboratory produces a reliable data base. |
| 1996 | SMF proposes interceptor sewers along Ganga and Varuna rivers and AIWPS type of sewage treatment scheme for Varanasi. |
| 1997 | A detailed report on "Feasibility Study of Interceptor Sewers and AIWPS Technology for Prevention of Pollution of Ganga at Vatranasi" prepared jointly by SMF and Oswald-Green LLC recommended and submitted by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VNN), to the Government for GAP Phase-II. |
| 1998 | "Swatcha Ganga Environmental Education Centre" a joint initiative of SMF and Oz-GREEN/FOG, Australia established at Tulsighat. |
| 1999 | Continuing efforts to educate local and national Government as to the advatages of appropriate and sustainable sewage treatment. |
| 2000 | Extension of the environmental education proramme and initiation of clean drinking water project in villages in collaboration with Oz-GREEN, Australia.
US President Bill Clinton praises the Swatcha Ganga Campaign in his speech at Agra in India |
| 2001 | Three year Project "Addressing Ganga's Pollution at Varanasi with change in social habits and use through awareness, mobilization and information dissemination" launched with support from SIDA, Sweden |
| 2002 | Active Collaboration established between cleanup campaigners of the "River Thames" in London and the Ganga in India
Civil Society Partnership Program (CSPP) launched by SMF, with support from the Asia Foundation, San Francisco, United States Asia Environmental Program "Adopt a Ghat" program launched. Schools and other local institutions come forth to aopt the world famous historical Ghats at the Ganga's bank to maintain their cleanliness with support from SIDA |
| 2003 | SMF and Oz-GREEN, Australia jointly organize International Students Congress. Participants from Australia, Bangladesh and many schools from Indian cities participated and decided their action plan for pollution abatement |
| 2004 | "Clean Ganga - Clean Ghat" a collaborative demonstration project implemented with support of British High Commission, New Delhi
Under SIDA project Clean Ganga Conclave at Tulsighat Under CSPP Clean Ganga Day organized at New Delhi |
| 2005 |
SMF & Oz-GREEN organize 3rd International Students Congress MoU signed between Times Foundation, K.K. Jajodia Foundation and Art of Living Foundation for the Holy Ganga Initiative Students from Australia and Sweden participate in World Environment Day celebration Clean Ganga Day organized in New Delhi MoU signed with Oxfam Svaraj for cleaning the River Ganga water front and ghats of Varanasi |
[edit] Quotes from Dr. Veera Bhadra Mishra
- This is not visionary, it is simply essential (Regarding cleaning of River Ganga)
- Science and technology are one bank of the river, and religion, tradition and faith are the other bank of the river. Both the banks need to be firm, and only then can the river maintain the flow.
- Please consider them an endangered species, these people who still have this faith, this living relationship with the river. If birds can be saved, if plants can be saved, let this species of people be saved by granting them holy water"
- I am a part of Ganga and Ganga is a part of me. I want not a single drop of sewage going into the river.
- When I talk to officials, I show them reports on fecal coliform, and when I talk to local people, I show them there is s___ in the holy Ganges. It is the same thing, but I say it in different languages.
- But one day I'll dodge all the snakes (bureacratic and political obstacles). Mother Ganges will help me to save her.
[edit] Contact information
Clean Ganga Campaign (Swatcha Ganga Abhiyan)
Sankat Mochan Foundation
B-2/15, Tulsi Ghat, Varanasi 221 001 India
Phone / Fax : +91 542 2313884/ 2314278
Email : vbmganga@satyam.net.in
[edit] Associated Organizations
- http://www.thames21.org.uk/
- http://www.asiafoundation.org/
- http://www.ozgreen.org.au/
- http://www.friendsofganges.org/
- http://www.sida.se/sida/jsp/sida.jsp?d=121&language=en_US
