India, July 17 -- Keeping the Ganga clean needs interventions not only in cities built along the river but also in those across its basin, as wastewater from these areas eventually flows into the river system, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) said on Thursday. The mission cited the example of Meerut, where the Namami Gange programme is being implemented.

"Meerut is not located on the main course of the Ganga. The Ganga cannot be seen from here.

Yet, the water from every drain and every sewer line here eventually flows into that very Ganga system. In the language of river science, this is called a basin, and the truth is that the Ganga can remain as clean as its entire basin remains clean," the mission said in a post on social...