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Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) is a non-profit, non-political organization founded in 1982 and registered under the "Societies Act" of the Government of India.
History
Sankat Mochan Foundation was founded in 1982 as a non-profit, non-political organization under the "Societies Act" of the Government of India by Veer Bhadra Mishra. It states following as its 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
Ganga Action Plan : Failures
Main article: Ganga Action PlanThe 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.
The ineffectiveness of the current Ganga Action Plan could be found based on the results observed
| Location / Parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand (mg/l) | Fecal Coliform Count / 100ml |
|---|---|---|
| At beginning of the Varanasi City ... Near Assi ghat | 3-8 mg/l | 20,000 - 100,000 per 100ml |
| Downstream of the Varanasi City ... Varuna confluence with Ganga | 20-50 mg/l | 1,000,000-2,000,000 per 100ml |
| Permissible limits for bathing | Less than 3mg/l | Less than 500 per 100ml |
Note : Higher the Biochemical Oxygen Demand, higher is the pollution (conversely there is more dissolved oxygen needed to make the water safe)
SMF AIWPS Solution
Main article: SMF AIWPS SolutionAIWPS has been developed by Professor William J. Oswald and his co-workers at the University of California, Berkeley over the past four decades. Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (AIWPS) are potentially feasible for application in the developing world.
Each AIWPS facility designs and incorporates a series of low-cost ponds or earthwork reactors. A typical AIWPS facility consists of a minimum of four ponds in series. These are Advanced Facultative Ponds (AFP), Secondary Facultative Ponds or Algal High Rate Ponds (HRP), Algae Settling Ponds (ASP), Maturation Ponds. These systems would store sewage for 45 days, using bacteria and algae to eliminate waste and purify the water.
This is a low cost, highly efficient and effective mode of treating sewage, with nearly no power requirement and it well suited for a tropical location like the Gangetic Plains. Sanakat Mochan Foundation, working alongside Oswald Green LLC had proposed this system for treating the sewage water that is being let in to Ganga near Varanasi.Though this solution was unanimously accepted by Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Varanasi Local Government Body, Municipal Corporation), based on the facts that this solution is more economical, superior in technology and requires very less maintenance, it has been stalled by the apathy and indifference shown by the central and the state government machinery.
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 |
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
See also
- Sankat Mochan Foundation Official Website with Contact and Volunteering details
- Clean the Ganges - Ecoworld
- Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) - Harvard Study
- Friends of the Ganges - Oz-Green
- Clean Ganga Campaign of SMF
- Challenges of SMF - Friends of Ganges
- India Water Crisis - ABC Australia
- Very old version of the SMF website