Sankat Mochan Foundation
Encyclopedia
Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) is a non-governmental organization
devoted to cleaning the pollution of the Ganges and protecting the Ganges river in India
. The environmental mission is related to the religious mission of Sankat Mochan Temple
and Veer Bhadra Mishra
is manager of both organizations.
Mishra was awarded the United Nations Environment Programme
's (UNEP) the "Global 500 Roll of Honour
" in 1992, The foundation has been working with Australia-based environmental group, Oz Greene, under a programme called “Swatcha Ganga Abhiyan” for over 25 years. It celebrated its silver jubilee on 3-4 November 2007, with two-day event which concluded at the Tulsi Ghat, on the Ganges.
by Pandit Mishra. The vision of Sankat Mochan Foundation is to
SMF runs the Swatcha Ganga (Clean Ganges) program, and so SMF is sometimes referred to as "Swatcha Ganga."
Historically, Sankat Mochan Foundation has managed support from both the Indian government and private foreign donors.
The ineffectiveness of the current Ganga Action Plan could be found based on the results observed in the following table:
Note: The higher the Biochemical Oxygen Demand, the higher the pollution (conversely there is more dissolved oxygen needed to make the water safe).
SMF's evaluations show AIWPS to be lower cost, more energy-efficient, more climate-appropriate, and more effective at treating sewage than other proposals submitted. Sankat Mochan Foundation, working alongside Oswald Green LLC, had proposed this system for treating the sewage water that is being let in to Ganges River near Varanasi. This solution has been supported by Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Varanasi Local Government Body, Municipal Corporation) but central and state government have not approved the budget.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
devoted to cleaning the pollution of the Ganges and protecting the Ganges river in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The environmental mission is related to the religious mission of Sankat Mochan Temple
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (Varanasi)
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is one of the sacred temples of Hindu god Hanuman in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is situated by the Assi river stream, on the way of the Durga Temple and the New Vishwanath temple within the Banaras Hindu University campus. The word Sankat Mochan in...
and Veer Bhadra Mishra
Veer Bhadra Mishra
Veer Bhadra Mishra is the founding president of the Sankat Mochan Foundation.He is a former professor of Hydraulic engineering and former Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the ITBHU Varanasi. He is also the Mahant of the Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, Varanasi at Varanasi founded by...
is manager of both organizations.
Mishra was awarded the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
's (UNEP) the "Global 500 Roll of Honour
Global 500 Roll of Honour
The United Nations Environment Programme established the Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1987 to recognize the environmental achievements of individuals and organizations around the world.The last Global 500 Roll of Honour awards were made in 2003...
" in 1992, The foundation has been working with Australia-based environmental group, Oz Greene, under a programme called “Swatcha Ganga Abhiyan” for over 25 years. It celebrated its silver jubilee on 3-4 November 2007, with two-day event which concluded at the Tulsi Ghat, on the Ganges.
History
Sankat Mochan Foundation was founded in 1982 as a non-profit, non-political organization under the "Societies Act" of the Government of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by Pandit Mishra. The vision of Sankat Mochan Foundation is to
- Restore the Ganges by alleviating its fast deteriorating environmental conditions
- Promote education and health care programs for the less privileged
- Maintain and encourage the age-old cultural traditions of VaranasiVaranasi-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, in tune with its current environmental needs
SMF runs the Swatcha Ganga (Clean Ganges) program, and so SMF is sometimes referred to as "Swatcha Ganga."
Historically, Sankat Mochan Foundation has managed support from both the Indian government and private foreign donors.
Ganga Action Plan: Failures
The Ganga Action Plan launched in 1986 by the Government of India has not achieved any success despite expenditure of over five billion rupees. The government claims that the schemes under the Ganga Action Plan have been successful, but 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 in the following table:
| Location / Parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand (mg/l) | Faecal Coliform Count / 100ml |
|---|---|---|
| At beginning of the Varanasi City ... Near Assi/Tulsi ghat | 3–8 mg/l | 20,000 - 100,000 per 100ml |
| Downstream of the Varanasi City ... Varuna confluence with the Ganges | 20–50 mg/l | 1,000,000-2,000,000 per 100ml |
| Permissible limits for bathing | Less than 3 mg/l | Less than 500 per 100ml |
Note: The higher the Biochemical Oxygen Demand, the higher the pollution (conversely there is more dissolved oxygen needed to make the water safe).
Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems
SMF is implementing a system called "Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond Systems (AIWPS)." 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 systems would store sewage for 45 days, using bacteria and algae to eliminate waste and purify the water.SMF's evaluations show AIWPS to be lower cost, more energy-efficient, more climate-appropriate, and more effective at treating sewage than other proposals submitted. Sankat Mochan Foundation, working alongside Oswald Green LLC, had proposed this system for treating the sewage water that is being let in to Ganges River near Varanasi. This solution has been supported by Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Varanasi Local Government Body, Municipal Corporation) but central and state government have not approved the budget.