Luca

Lichtenberger

POLLUTION

Issues of the
river Ganges
MYP Individuals and Societies

Every year 10,000 dead bodies are thrown into

the water, while 100,000 dead animals are
floating around in the water.

luca lichtenberger

December 9, 2015

Contents
List of Pictures
1 Introduction
2 Location
3 Religious Importance
4 Pollution
5 Who is affected by this heavy pollution
5.1. The Ganges River Dolphin
5.2. People
5.3. Animals
6 Existing Cleaning Efforts

6.1 Ganga Action Plan

6.2 Integrated Ganges Development Project
6.3 Sankat Mochan Foundation

7 Management Plan
8 Conclusion
9 References
10 Appendix
11 Action Plan

List of Pictures
Figure 1.1

detailed map of the river Ganges with its tributaries

Figure 1.2

simplified map of the river Ganges

Figure 2.1

an Indian man bathing in the polluted river

Figure 2.2

a group of people bathing in the river surrounded by waste

Figure 3.1

an image of the Ganges River Dolphin

Figure 3.3

a picture of a dead cow floating in the Ganges

Luca Lichtenberger

Luca Lichtenberger

1 Introduction
This report will cover the location of the River Ganges, as well as its flow, river basin, some of its
tributaries and its religious importance. It will also cover the environmental problems of the river,
such as damming, human and industrial waste, as well as the effect of the heavy pollution on the
environment, taking the Ganges River Dolphin as an example. There will also be management
strategies to improve the water quality of the River Ganges.

2 Location

Figure 1.1

Figure 1.2

The river Ganges, also known as Ganga, is the longest river in India that flows towards the
Bangladeshi border, as you can see in figure 1.2. It flows from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay
of Bengal for 2,525 kilometres winding through China, Nepal, India and Bangladesh. It has the
second largest water discharge in the world and has the most populated basin with over 400 million
people living in the basin. This you can see in figure 1.1. The river originates from the Gangotri
glacier, but gets most of its water from its many confluences, such as the river Alaknanda,
Mandakini, Pindar and Bhagirathi. The river travels 200 km through the Himalayas until it emerges at
a town called Haridwar, where a dam connects it the Ganges with its main tributary, the Jamuna.
From there on it flows through the plains of northern India. The Ganges formed a delta covering
roughly 25% of India territory. Its estimated drainage basin is 1,080,000 sq. km. Once the river flows
into Bangladesh its main branch is called the Padma River. The overall statistics vary though, since
the Ganges River has a very complicated hydrology.

3 Religious Importance
2

Luca Lichtenberger

The river is known for its importance to the people of India. It doesnt only give them drinking water
and food, such as fish, but is also significant to Hindu religion. It is considered their most sacred river.
It is worshipped as the goddess Ganga Ma or Mother Ganges. According to the myths of the Hindu
religion the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the waters of the river Ganges to
purify and bring to heaven does who touch it. Hindus believe, that when a person dies their ashes
have to be spread in the river for them to reach the World of Ancestors.

4 Pollution
As you can see in figure 2.1 the river Ganges is
really dirty, when millions of people bathe in the
river, while millions of dead peoples ashes is
floating around the river. The Ganges River is
one of the most polluted rivers around the
world, some statistics even stating it is the most
polluted river in the world. The pollution is
caused by human and industrial waste, as well as
fertilizers. There are 400 million people living
near the river and most of their waste is just
dumped in the river. Furthermore, many people
Figure 2.1

bathe and wash their clothes in the Ganges.
Most of the factories dump their toxic waste in
the midst of the river. The village Kanpur alone has 300 factories along the rivers edge dumping
untreated chemicals in the river. Nearly 1 billion liters of untreated raw sewage enters the river
every day. Drinking, and even bathing, in the river is very dangerous. Bacteria levels near a village
named Varanasi are at least 3, 000 times higher than what is declared safe by the World Health
Organization. The river has been tested to
contain high levels of chemicals, such as
chromium sulphate, arsenic, cadmium,
mercury and sulfuric acid, which are all
highly toxic. Additionally, because of some
religious activities human remains are placed
in the river. Around 10, 000 partially burnt or
even unburnt corpses are thrown into the
river each year. Every year, over 100, 000
land animals die and decay in the river. The
factories use the fresh water from the
river to create things, such as salt, dye or
Figure 2.2

paper and dump heavy water back, which
contains poisonous chemicals. In figure 2.2 you can see how full of waste the river is. To produce one
pair of leather jeans the factory needs 50 gallons of fresh water. This means around 50 gallons of
polluted excess is thrown back into the river.

Luca Lichtenberger

5 Who is affected by this heavy pollution?
5.1. The Ganges River Dolphin
Due to this heavy pollution of the river
many animals and humans, as well as
the whole environment, is largely
affected. As stated before 100, 000
land-based animals die in the river. In
the river you have a special dolphin,
named The Ganges River Dolphin
(platanista gangetia). The river water is
so muddy that the dolphins vision is
useless. Over time the dolphins
changed and became mutated. They
Figure 3.1

lost their eyesight. As you can observe
in figure 3.1 the dolphins do not have any eyes. They are now using a sophisticated echolocation
system to navigate and find their food. Even though they have adapted they are still on the
endangered species list. This is because of various reasons. One of them is because of the damming
for hydroelectric irrigation purposes. Other factors also include the increase of boat traffic, fishing
and pollution. They are also hunted by the people of India for their meat and oil. There are only an
estimated number of 4000-6000 Ganges River Dolphins left.

5.2. People
The whole environment around the River Ganges is affected by its pollution, as well as the people
living around it. One statistic states, that over 420 million people rely on the river for food, water,
bathing and agriculture. The bacteria level of the river is far over than what the World Health
Organization has declared as healthy. A witness states, that he owns a washing factory right next to
the traditional cremation area. He washes clothes for people and then brings them back to them
earning his money that way. No one cares that right next to the washing place dead bodies and half
burnt ashes are thrown just some hundred meters next to him (Vijay Kumar, dw.com). This way
many people are dying from diseases. They get their diseases either by the drinking the water from
the river, bathing in it, getting their clothes washed in the river or just by eating the food which is
produced near the river. There have been cases of the river bringing in cholera, hepatitis and

Luca Lichtenberger

dysentery. The river Ganges is a leading cause in the death of many children leaving near the River
Ganges and coming into contact with it. The River Ganges is a death zone.
5.3. Animals
Animals are also affected by the river. Some
are affected directly by drinking its waters and
therefor getting diseases or they may be
affected by the dams that are built. As an
example, the Kotli-Bhel dam at Devprayag will
destroy 1200 hectares of forests, leaving
behind many animals without shelter. Without
shelter the animals wont be able to survive
long and will die. It will be a big challenge for
Figure 3.3
the animals to cope with the drastically
changes. As you can see in figure 3.3 many
animas die each year, because of the polluted river.

6 Cleaning Efforts
There have been many different cleaning efforts bringing in small changes, yet it did not bring the
big changes that were hoped for.
6.1 Ganga Action Plan
The Ganga Action Plan was a program to reduce the pollution load on the river, but the efforts didnt
show any results even after spending over 9 billion Rupiah on the project, but they did manage to
shut down many highly polluting industrial plants and funded for the construction of wastewater
treatment facilities.
6.2 Integrated Ganges Development Project
After coming to power in May 2014, the new prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Integrated
Ganges Development Project, as well as creating a Ministry for Water Resources, River Development
and Ganges Rejuvenation. He allocated around $334 million to the project and promised the river
would be clean in three years. Modi already received criticism after only four months from the
Supreme Court, that the plan may not help clean the Ganges even after 200 years. Little is known
about this project.
6.3 Sankat Mochan Foundation
The head priest of the Sankat Mochan temple, Veer Bhadra Misra, founded the Sankat Mochan
Foundation to protect and to purify the river Ganges. It also gives awareness to people that the river
needs protection. One of the ways it wants to protect the river is to build a 4-mile pipeline to
intercept all the sewage coming from Varanasi. The government already funded $33 million to build
a plant that would help with the sewage problem. There were some problems with the idea, so the
idea was thrown away a couple of years later.

7 Management Plan
5

Luca Lichtenberger

The river is already so polluted it is going to be hard to ever get the river to its original glory. The first
thing that has to be done, is to cut off all the waste coming out of the factories. This will reduce the
amount of untreated waste, that will be dumped into the water. Theoretically, you should try to
forbid the people from bathing in the river, as well as drinking and throwing human remains into the
Ganges. This will also decrease the amount of pollution the river will get each year. Yet this is going
to be a big problem, since the Ganges has a huge religious significance. The people bathe in it to
wash away their sins and for other religious reasons. The people of India would not want the river to
be a forbidden area and there could be riots, if that would be illegal. One step that could be taken is
that throwing human remains in the river is forbidden. Forbidding to also throw ashes in the river
would also not work, since the people do that, so the person that dies will also reach the World of
the Ancestors (see Religious Significance). Ashes are more hygienic than human remains, so
forbidding human remains would be a plausible step. There would need to be a big scale campaign
to clear all the waste from the river. Plastic bags, plastic bottles and other objects could be picked
out of the water. This way the water would eventually be free of all the garbage. The next step
would be to purify the water and clear all the bacteria. Many purification facilities would have to be
built to improve the water quality, as well as green biotech floating-island, that reduce the pollutant
density in the water. If all those steps would be done the river would be somewhat cleaner. The next
step would be to make a whole set of laws, so the river also stays clean. The people would not be
allowed to wash their clothes in the river, dump any waste, wash themselves with soap, human
waste from the homes should not be dumped in the river, toxic waste from factories cannot be
dumped and many other rules. Those actions may seem easy and simple, but it would take many
years and a lot of money. It may be possible to restore the river Ganges to its original beauty, but it
would be really hard and the actions must be taken now.

8 Conclusion
The river Ganges is one of the mostly polluted rivers in the world with over 400 million people living
near its banks. The water in the river isnt just dangerous, but toxic. The bacteria level is 3, 000 times
higher than what is declared safe by the World Health Organization. Dead bodies, human waste and
industrial waste is dumped by the thousands in the river each year. The waters are so dirty and
murky the dolphins adapted to the water quality, lost their eyesight and are now orienting
themselves with a highly sophisticated echolocation system. Even though many projects have been
launched before to purify the river there has not been any major cleaning breakthrough. The Ganges
is heavily polluted and action must be taken now. Some resources even say that the pollution will
increase by 100% this year. If we wait another few years, the river could already be too polluted to
purify. The Ganges is already heavily toxic and if there is some action the pollution can maybe be
halted and even reversed.

References
Pictures
Chaudhary, Archana, and Rakteem Katakey. "Modi Invokes Mahatma Gandhi to Clean Mother
6

Ganga." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-05-27/india-s-new-leader-channelsgandhi-to-clean-mother-ganga. 28 May 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Luca Lichtenberger

N. a. "Rivers of India: The Ganga." http://www.oktatabyebye.com/travel-ideas/rivers-of

india/ganga.aspx. N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
Naskar, Sudhiti. "The River Where Swimming Lessons Can Be a Health Hazard - BBC News."

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28112403. 01 July 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Pfly. "Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basins." https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganges
Brahmaputra-Meghna_basins.jpg. 30 Apr. 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
Singh, Tanaya. "West Bengal Will Soon Have India's First Community Reserve for Dolphins - The

Better India." http://www.thebetterindia.com/36173/community-reserve-for-gangetic
river-dolphins/. 12 Oct. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
. "? _ ."

http://world.yam.com/post.php?id=2144. 07 July 2014.
Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Websites

Briney, Amanda. "Ganges River."http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ganges
River.htm. N.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
Jaiswal, Rakesh. "Ganges River Pollution." http://www.all-about-india.com/Ganges-River
Pollution.html. N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
N. a. "Ganges River - Solutions." http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/gangessolutions.htm. N.d.

Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

N. a. "Ganges River Basin." http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 . N.d.

Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
N.a. "Ganges River."http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ganges_Rive r. N.d. Web. 25 Nov.

2015.

N.a. "India : Ganges River." https://sites.google.com/a/woodward.edu/world-geography-wiki/wiki
projects/top-sites-of-south-asia/india-ganges-river. N.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
N.a. "Living River: The Ganges." http://www.livingriverfilm.com/ganga-facts/ N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
Ramachandran, Sudha. "Cleaning Up the Ganges." http://thediplomat.com/2014/09/cleaning-up-the
ganges/. 15 Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

7

Luca Lichtenberger

Rogers, Janak. "India's Polluted Ganges River Threatens People's Livelihoods.

http://www.dw.com/en/indias-polluted-ganges-river-threatens-peopleslivelihoods/a
17237276. 21 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

YouTube Clips
Allinone, Imzy. "Water Pollution in India a Serious Concern a Documentary - Every Indian Must

Watch This Video." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG3thzNUIdY. 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 30

Nov. 2015.
Kalpavata. "GANGES or GANGA - A COMPLETE Documentary: [MUST WATCH]."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM9aPy7H534. 10 Oct. 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Appendix (Capture Sheet and Action Plan)

What is the geography of the river Ganges?
The Ganges River, also called Ganga, is a river located in northern India that flows toward the border
with Bangladesh (map). It is the longest river in India and flows for around 1,569 miles (2,525 km)
from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of Bengal. The river has the second greatest water
discharge in the world and its basin is the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million
people living in the basin. The headwaters of the Ganges River begin high in the Himalayan
Mountains where the Bhagirathi River flows out of the Gangotri Glacier in India's Uttarakhand state.
The glacier sits at an elevation of 12,769 feet (3,892 m). The Ganges River proper begins farther
downstream where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join. As the Ganges flows out of the
Himalayas it creates a narrow, rugged canyon. The Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas at
the town of Rishikesh where it begins to flow onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This area, also called the
North Indian River Plain, is a very large, relatively flat, fertile plain that makes up most of the
northern and eastern parts of India as well as parts of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In addition to
entering the Indo-Gangetic Plain at this area, part of the Ganges River is also diverted toward the
Ganges Canal for irrigation in the Uttar Pradesh state.
As the Ganges River then flows farther downstream it changes its direction several times and is
joined by many other tributary rivers such as the Ramganga, Tamsa and Gandaki rivers to name a
few. There are also several cities and towns that the Ganges River passes through on its way
downstream. Some of these include Chunar, Kolkata, Mirzapur, and Varanasi. Many Hindus visit the
Ganges River in Varanasi as that city is considered the holiest of cities. As such, the city's culture is
also closely tied into the river as it is the most sacred river in Hinduism.
Once the Ganges River flows out of India and into Bangladesh its main branch is known as the Padma
River. The Padma River is joined downstream by large rivers like the Jamuna and Meghna rivers.
After joining the Meghna it takes on that name before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Prior to
entering the Bay of Bengal however, the river creates the world's largest delta, Ganges Delta. This
region is a highly fertile sediment laden area that covers 23,000 square miles (59,000 sq km).

Luca Lichtenberger

It should be noted that the course of the Ganges River described in the above paragraphs is a
general description of the river's route from its source where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers
join to its outlet at the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges has a very complicated hydrology and there are
several different descriptions of its overall length and the size of its drainage basin based on what
tributary rivers are included. The most widely accepted length of the Ganges River is 1,569 miles
(2,525 km) and its drainage basin is estimated to be about 416,990 square miles (1,080,000 sq km).


http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ganges-River.htm 25/11/15

The Ganges (also Ganga Devangar: ) is a major river in the Indian subcontinent flowing east
through the eponymous plains of northern India into Bangladesh. The 2,510 km (1,557 mi) long river
begins at the Gangotri Glacier in the Indian state of Uttarakhand in the central Himalayas and drains
into the Bay of Bengal through its vast delta in the Sunderbans. The Ganges originates in the
Himalayas after the confluence of six rivers Alaknanda meets Dhauliganga at Vishnuprayag,
Mandakini at Nandprayag, Pindar at Karnaprayag, Mandakini at Rudraprayag and finally Bhagirathi
at Devaprayag (from here onwards, it is known as Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Out of
the five, the Bhagirathi is held to be the source stream originating at the Gangotri Glacier at an
elevation of 7,756 m (25,446 ft). The streams are fed by melting snow and ice from glaciers including
glaciers from peaks such as Nanda Devi and Kamet.
After travelling 200 km through the Himalayas, the Ganges emerges at the pilgrimage town of
Haridwar in the Shiwalik Hills. At Haridwar, a dam diverts some of its waters into the Ganges Canal,
which links the Ganges with its main tributary, the Jamuna. The Ganges which till this point flows in a
south-western direction now begins to flow in a south-eastern direction through the plains northern
India.
From Haridwar the river follows an 800 km (500 mi) winding course passing through the city of
Kanpur, before being joined by the Yamuna from the southwest at Allahabad. This point, known as
the Sangam, is a sacred place in Hinduism. According to ancient Hindu texts, at one time a third
river, the Sarasvati River, met the two rivers at this point.[2]
Joined by numerous rivers such as the Kosi, Son, Gandak and Ghaghra, the Ganges forms a
formidable current in the stretch between Allahabad and Malda in West Bengal. On its way it passes
the towns of Mirzapur, Varanasi, Patna and Bhagalpur. At Bhagalpur, the river meanders past the
Rajmahal Hills, and begins to change course southwards. At Pakaur, the river begins its first attrition
with the branching away of its first distributary, the River Bhagirathi, which goes on to form the
River Hooghly. Close to the border with Bangladesh, the Farakka Barrage, built in 1974 controls the
flow of the Ganges, diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linking the Hooghly to keep it
relatively silt-free.
After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges is known as Padma River until it is joined
by the Jamuna River the largest distributary of the Brahmaputra. Further downstream, the Ganges is
fed by the Meghna River, the second largest distributary of the Brahmaputra and takes on its name
entering the Meghna Estuary. Fanning out into the 350 km (220 mi) wide Ganges Delta, it empties

Luca Lichtenberger

out into the Bay of Bengal. Only two rivers, the Amazon and Congo have a higher discharge than the
combined flow of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Surma-Meghna river system.
Until the end of the 18th Century, the Ganges River separately discharged into the Bay of Bengal a
few kilometers west of the Meghna Estuary. The Brahmaputra River flowed to the east of the
Madhupur Tract (upland) and after joining with the Meghna River their combined flow fed into the
estuary following approximately the same alignment as the present Lower Meghna River. Between
the end of the 18th Century and early 19th Century, the Brahmaputra River increased its diversion via
the Jamuna River and joined with the Ganges at Aricha.[3] This change was hastened by the 1897
earthquake.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ganges_River 25/11/15


The Ganges River is 1,560 miles long. It flows southeast through north east India across a vast plain
into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. It is the most sacred river in India. The plain is the worlds most
densely populated regions. The river is highly polluted because it is located near major population
centers. The lower Ganges river joined by the Brahmaputra river of Dhaka, Bangladesh to form a
Padma the river's main channel to the sea. The rivers unite to form the vast and fertile GangesBrahmaputra Delta. The delta region covers roughly 25% of India's territory and supports 300 million
people. The delta's southern fringe is known as the Sundarbuns. This low-lying area has been
suffering great devastation from cyclones and coastal flooding. Many people enjoy bathing in the
river even though it is very polluted and can and probably will give you an infection.
https://sites.google.com/a/woodward.edu/world-geography-wiki/wiki-projects/top-sites-of-southasia/india-ganges-river 25/11/15

Ganges River Basin
The river known as the Ganges is officially and popularly known by its Hindu name, Ganga. The
river has its source in the Himalayas, at Gaumakh in the southern Himalayas on the Indian side of
the Tibetan border. It is 1 560 miles (2 510 km) long and flows through China, India, Nepal and
Bangladesh. The Ganges river basin is one of the most fertile and densely populated in the world
and covers an area of 400 000 sq miles (1 000 000 sq km). The river flows through 29 cities with
population over 100,000, 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and about 48
towns.
The Delta

The silt deposits of the delta cover an area of 23 000 sq miles (60 000 sq km). The river courses in
the delta are broad and active, carrying a vast amount of water. The rains from June to October
cause most of the Bangladeshi delta region to flood, leaving the villages that are built on artificially
raised land isolated. On the seaward side of the delta are swamplands and tidal forests called
Sunderbans which are protected conservation areas in both Indian and Bangladeshi law. The peat
10

Luca Lichtenberger

found in the delta is used for fertiliser and fuel. The water supply to the river depends on the rains
brought by the monsoon winds from July to October and the melting snow from the Himalayas
during the period from April to June. The delta also experiences strong cyclonic storms before and
after the monsoon season which can be devastating. In November 1970, for example, 200 000 -
500 000 people were killed in such storms.
The delta used to be densely forested and inhabited by many wild animals. Today, however, it has
become intensely cultivated to meet the needs of the growing population and many of the wild
animals have disappeared. The Royal Bengal Tiger still lives in the Sunderbans and kills about 30
villagers every year. There remains high fish populations in the rivers which provides an important
part of the inhabitants' diet. Bird life in the Ganges basin is also prolific.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

In what condition is the river? (What are the rivers problems?)

Despite the religious significance and daily importance of the Ganges River for the people of India, it
is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Pollution of the Ganges is caused by both human and
industrial waste due to India's rapid growth as well as religious events. India currently has a
population of over one billion people and 400 million of them live in the Ganges River basin. As a
result much of their waste, including raw sewage is dumped into the river. In addition, many people
bathe and use the river to clean their laundry. Fecal coliform bacteria levels near Varanasi are at
least 3,000 times higher than the what is established by the World Health Organization as safe
(Hammer, 2007).
Industrial practices in India also have little regulation and as the population grows these industries
do as well. There are many tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries and slaughterhouses
along the river and many of them dump their untreated and often toxic waste into the river. The
water of the Ganges has been tested to contain high levels of things like chromium sulfate, arsenic,
cadmium, mercury and sulfuric acid (Hammer, 2007).
In addition to human and industrial waste some religious activities also increase the pollution of the
Ganges. For example, Hindus believe that they must take offerings of food and other items to Ganga
and as a result these items are thrown into the river on a regular basis and more so during religious
events. Human remains are also often placed into the river.
http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ganges-River.htm 25/11/15
The Ganges Basin with its fertile soil is instrumental to the agricultural economies of India and
Bangladesh. The river and its tributaries provide a perennial source of irrigation to a large area. Chief
crops cultivated along the river include rice, sugarcane, lentils, oil seeds, potatoes, and wheat. Along
the banks of the river, the presence of swamps and lakes provide a rich growing area for crops such
as legumes, chillies, mustard, sesame, sugarcane, and jute. Fishing also provides opportunities to
many along the river, though the river remains highly polluted.
Tourism is another related activity. Three towns, holy to Hinduism Haridwar, Allahabad, and
Varanasi -attract thousands of pilgrims to its waters. Hindu pilgrims arrive at these three towns to
take a dip in the Ganges, which is believed to cleanse oneself of sins and help attain salvation. The
rapids of the Ganges also are popular river rafting area, attracting hundreds of adventure seekers in
the summer months. The Ganges collects large amounts of human pollutants as it flows through
highly populous areas, e.g., Schistosoma mansoni and faecal coliforms (therefore, carrying high
11

Luca Lichtenberger

health risk of infection through the fecal-oral route and bathing). These populous areas are then
exposed to these potentially hazardous accumulations. While proposals have been made for
remediating this condition so far no great progress has been achieved.
The major polluting industries on the Ganges are the leather industries, especially near Kanpur,
which use large amounts of chromium and other chemicals. However, industry is not the only source
of pollution. The sheer volume of waste estimated at nearly 1 billion litres per day, of mostly
untreated raw sewage is a significant factor. Furthermore, inadequate cremation procedures
contributes to a large number of partially burnt or unburnt corpses floating down the Ganga, in
addition to livestock corpses.
The Ganga Action Plan has been set up under the Indian government and is attempting to build a
number of waste treatment facilities, under Dutch and British support, and to collaborate with a
number of voluntary organizations.
A UN Climate Report issued in 2007 indicates that the Himalayan glaciers that feed the Ganges may
disappear by 2030, leaving the river a seasonal occurrence from Monsoons.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ganges_River 25/11/15

Pollution of the Ganges has become so serious that bathing in and drinking its water has become
very dangerous. The major polluting industry along the Ganges is the leather industry especially
near Kanpur, from which Chromium and other chemicals leak into the river. Another huge source of
pollution is that of the nearly 1 billion litres of mostly untreated raw sewage that enters the river
every day. Inadequate cremation procedures result in partially burnt or unburnt corpses floating in
the river.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

The Ganges River Dolphin

The Ganges river dolphin ( platanista gangetia ) is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, in
the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, Karnaphuli and Hoogli river systems. The river water is so
muddy that vision is useless and so these dolphins are blind and their eyes have no lenses. They use
a sophisticated echolocation system to navigate and find food. They eat shrimp and fish from the
mud in river bottoms. They are solitary creatures and are only found in fresh water. The Ganges
river dolphin is an endangered species as a result of a number of factors. These factors include the
damming of rivers for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, and the increase in boat traffic, fishing
and pollution. They are also hunted by humans for meat and oil. There are only approximately 4000
- 6000 individuals left.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

12

Industrial pollution from metal works (chrome, iron, copper, etc.) paper mills, dye and salt
manufacturers, and leather factories. For example, Kanpur has over 300 factories along the
rivers edge. Water-intensive factories use up fresh water but dump oxygen-depleted water
termed heavy water that contains chemicals like chromium, nickel, copper, etc., and

Luca Lichtenberger

undocumented amounts of colored dyes and salts.

Fact: Producing 1 pair of leather jeans requires 50 gallons of fresh water

Domestic waste from 32 treatment plant points along the river Varanasi has five such
conduits, and all flow directly into the river unabated or treated.

Fact: Varanasi water contains over 200 times more fecal bacteria than maximum tolerable
levels.

Free-range animals like cows, buffalos, dogs and all other land-based wild life bathe and die,
decaying in the river.

The ancient practice of dumping dead human bodies or partially cremated bodies into the
river continues.

Fact: Over 100,000 land-based animals die and decay in the river.

Fact: Over 10,000 bodies are thrown into the river every year even though it is declared
illegal.

Chemicals used by over 100 million Indians like chlorine to clean wells and detergents to
bathe and wash clothes.

http://www.livingriverfilm.com/ganga-facts/ 27/11/15


The Ganges River Pollution is now at such a high
level that the amount of toxins, chemicals and
other dangerous bacteria found in the river are
now almost 3000 times over the limit suggested
by the WHO as 'safe'.
The river directly and indirectly affects the
largest population of any river in the world with
over more than 420 million people who rely on it
for food, water, bathing and agriculture. And that
is not to mention the tens of Millions of pilgrims
who venture to India's most holy of rivers each
year to bathe and worship.
Search this site
So with such a massive influence on the local and national population, why is it that the river is so
completely and utterly disgusting?

13

Luca Lichtenberger

Well this is a question that is asked everyday and to help answer it we first need to take a look at a
few facts which mean that the environmental issue in India are some of the worst in the world.
When you've finished you may want to have a look at air pollution in India
FACTS ABOUT GANGES RIVER POLLUTION

Approximately 1 billion litres of raw,

untreated sewage are dumped in the
river on a daily basis. The amount has
more than doubled in the last 20 years
and experts predict another 100%
increase in the following 20 years.
The rapid explosion of India's population
in the last 25 years coupled with lax
regulations on industry has put a huge
strain on the river leading to an explosion
in Ganges river pollution.
Thousands of bodies are cremated on
the banks of the river yearly with many
being released into the river with hopes
that their souls may have a direct path to
heaven.

Hundreds Unwanted or 'illegitimate' babies, cattle and other animal carcases are also
dumped in the Ganges again with religious significance
The levels of Coliform bacteria is over 2800 times the level considered safe by the W.H.O
(world health organisation).

http://www.all-about-india.com/Ganges-River-Pollution.html 27/11/15

How important is the river to the people living there?

The Ganges River is extremely important to the people of India as most of the people living on its
banks use it for daily needs such as bathing and fishing. It is also significant to Hindus as they
consider it their most sacred river. Aside from providing drinking water and irrigating fields, the
Ganges River is extremely important to India's Hindu population for religious reasons as well. The
Ganges River is considered their most sacred river and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga Ma or
"Mother Ganges" (About.com).
According to the Myth of the Ganges the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the
waters of the Ganges River to protect, purify and bring to heaven those who touch it. Devout Hindus
visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga. They also drink the water and bathe in the
river to cleanse and purify their sins. In addition, Hindus believe that upon death the waters of the
Ganges River are needed to reach the World of the Ancestors, Pitriloka. As a result, Hindus bring
their dead to the river for cremation along its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the
river. In some cases corpses are also thrown into the river. The city of Varanasi is the holiest of cities
along the Ganges River and many Hindus travel there place ashes of their dead in the river.

14

Luca Lichtenberger

Along with daily baths in the Ganges River and offerings to the goddess Ganga there are large
religious festivals that occur in the river throughout the year where millions of people travel to the
river to bathe so that they can be purified of their sins.

http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ganges-River.htm 25/11/15

In Hinduism, the river Ganga (Sanskrit and Hindi
Gag) or Ganges River (as called by
westerners) is considered to be sacred. It is worshipped by Hindus, and personified as a goddess,
who holds an important place in the Hindu religion. Hindus believe that bathing in the river on
certain occasions causes the remission of sins and facilitates the attainment of salvation. Many
people believe that this effect obtains from bathing in Ganga at any time. People travel from distant
places to immerse the ashes of their kin in the waters of the Ganga; this immersion also is believed
to be meritorious as the ashes are believed to go to heaven. Several places sacred to Hindus lie along
the banks of the river Ganga, including Haridwar, Allahabad and Varanasi.
The river Ganga is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, the earliest of the Hindu scriptures (Rig Veda 10.75),
which lists the rivers from east to west. In Rig Veda 6.45.31, the word Ganga is also mentioned, but it
is not clear if the reference is to the river.
According to Hinduism, the Ganga is sacred and she is worshipped as a goddess.[4] [5] Hindus believe
that bathing in the river on certain occasions causes the forgiveness of sins and helps attain
salvation. Many people believe that this will come from bathing in Ganga at any time. People travel
from distant places to immerse the ashes of their kin in the waters of the Ganga; this immersion also
is believed to send the ashes to heaven. Several places sacred to Hindus lie along the banks of the
river Ganga, including Haridwar and Kashi. People carry sacred water from the Ganges that is sealed
in copper pots after making the pilgrimage to Kashi. It is believed that drinking water from the Ganga
with one's last breath will take the soul to heaven.
The ancient scriptures mention that the water of Ganges carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu's feet;
hence Mother Ganges is also known as Vishnupadi, which means "Emanating from the Lotus feet of
Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu."
Some of the most important Hindu festivals and religious congregations are celebrated on the banks
of the river Ganga such as the Kumbh Mela and the Chhat Puja. Additionally, the river has hundreds
of temples along its banks, which often get flooded during the rains.
There are several Hindu beliefs that give various versions of the birth of Ganga. According to one
version, the sacred water in Brahma's Kamandalu (water-vessel) became personified as a maiden,
Ganga. According to another (Vaishnavite) legend, Brahma had reverently washed the feet of Vishnu
and collected this water in his Kamandalu. According to yet a third version, Ganga was the daughter
of Himavan, king of the mountains, and his consort Mena; she was thus a sister of the goddess
Parvati. Every version declares that she was raised in the heavens, under the tutelage of Brahma.
Several years later, a king named Sagara magically acquired sixty thousand sons. One day, King
Sagara performed a ritual of worship for the good of the kingdom. One of the integral parts of the
ritual was a horse, which was stolen by the jealous Indra. Sagara sent all his sons all over the earth to
search for the horse. They found it in the nether-world (or Underworld) next to a meditating sage
15

Luca Lichtenberger

Kapila. Believing that the sage had stolen the horse, they hurled insults at him and caused his
penance to be disturbed. The sage opened his eyes for the first time in several years, and looked at
the sons of Sagara. With this glance, all sixty thousand were burnt to death with the yogic fire from
his third eye.
The souls of the sons of Sagara wandered as ghosts since their final rites had not been performed.
When Bhagiratha, one of the descendants of Sagara, son of Dilip, learnt of this fate, he vowed to
bring Ganga down to Earth so that her waters could cleanse their souls and release them to heaven.
Bhagiratha prayed to Brahma that Ganga come down to Earth. Brahma agreed, and he ordered
Ganga to descend down to the Earth and go on to the nether regions so that the souls of
Bhagiratha's ancestors would be able to go to heaven. The vain Ganga felt that this was insulting and
decided to sweep the whole earth away as she fell from the heavens. Alarmed, Bhagiratha prayed to
Shiva that he break up Ganga's descent.

Ganga arrogantly fell on Shiva's head but Shiva calmly trapped her in his hair and let her out in small
streams. The touch of Shiva further sanctified Ganga. As Ganga travelled to the nether-worlds, she
created a different stream to remain on Earth to help purify unfortunate souls there. She is the only
river to follow from all the three worlds - Swarga (heaven), Prithvi (earth) and, Patala (netherworld
or hell). Thus is called "Tripathag" ( one who travels the three worlds) in Sanskrit language.
Because of Bhagiratha's efforts Ganga descended on to earth and hence the river is also known as
Bhagirathi, and the term "Bhagirath prayatna" is used to describe valiant efforts or difficult
achievements.
Another name that Ganga is known by is Jahnavi. Story has it that once Ganga came down to earth,
on her way to Bhagiratha, her rushing waters created turbulence and destroyed the fields and the
sadhana of a sage called Jahnu. He was angered by this and drank up all of Ganga's waters. Upon
this, the Gods prayed to Jahnu to release Ganga so that she could proceed on her mission. Pleased
with their prayers, Jahnu released Ganga (her waters) from his ears. Hence the name "Jahnavi"
(daughter of Jahnu) for Ganga.
It is sometime believed that the river will finally dry up at the end of Kali Yuga (the era of darkness,
the current era) just as with the Sarasvati river, and this era will end. Next in (cyclic) order will be the
Satya Yuga or the era of Truth.
According to the Hindu scriptures like Skanda Purana, the goddess Ganga is foster-mother to
Karttikeya (Murugan), who was actually a son of Shiva and Parvati.
According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana 2.6.13-95 Vishnu has three wives, who constantly quarrel with
each other, so that eventually, he keeps only Lakshmi, giving Ganga to Shiva and Saraswati to
Brahma.
The Hindu epic, Mahabharata tells that the Vasus, cursed by Vashishta had requested Ganga to be
their mother. Ganga incarnated and became the wife of King Santanu on condition that at no stage
shall he question her actions, or she would leave him. As seven Vasus were born as their children,
one after the other, Ganga drowned them in her own waters, freeing them from their punishment
and the king made no opposition. Only when the eighth was born did the king finally oppose his
wife, who therefore left him. So the eighth son, Dyaus incarnated, remained alive, imprisoned in
16

Luca Lichtenberger

mortal form, and later became known in his mortal incarnation as Bhishma (Devavrata), who is one
of the most respected characters of the Mahabharata.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ganges_River 25/11/15


Religious Significance
The people of the Ganges basin are of mixed origin. In the west and centre of the region Turks,
Mongols, Afghans, Persians and Arabs intermingled with the original Aryans, while in the east and
south (the Bengal area) the people originate from a mixture of Tibetan, Burman and hill
peoples. Hindus regard the Ganges as the holiest of rivers. It was named after the goddess Ganga,
the daughter of the mountain god Himalaya. Pilgrimage sites are particularly significant along the
river. At the confluence of the Ganges and and the Tamuna tributory near Allahabad a bathing
festival in January and February attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Other holy pilgrimage
sites along the river include Haridwar, the place where the Ganges leaves the Himalayas, and
Allahabad, where the mythical Saraswati river is believed to enter the Ganges. Water from the
Ganges is used to cleanse any place or object for ritual purposes. Bathing in the river is believed to
wash away one's sins. To bathe in the Ganga is a lifelong ambition for Hindus and they congregate in
incredible numbers for the Sangam, Sagar Mela and Kumbh Mela festivals. It is believed that any
water that mixes with even the smallest amount of Ganges water becomes holy with healing
powers. Hindus also cast the ashes of their dead in the river in the belief that this will guide the
souls of the deceased straight to paradise.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

What human conflicts arise over the river?

The Haridwar dam diverts melted snow from the Himalayas to the Upper Ganges Canal which was
built by the British in 1854. This water is used for irrigation but has greatly diminished the flow of
the river and has led to the decay of the Ganges as an inland waterway. The construction of the
Farakka Barrage at the head of the delta in West Bengal is a cause of major tension between India
and Bangladesh. India claims that the port of Calcutta is being detrimentally effected by deposits of
silt and by the intrusion of saline seawater. To counter these effects fresh water is diverted into the
Bhagirathi River via a large canal from the Ganges at Farakka. However, after its construction the
salinity of water and soil increased markedly . Also recurring floods caused by siltation and the
opening of the Farakkaits Barrage sluice gates during the monsoon season resulted in extensive
damage to crops. Soil moisture and groundwater levels continue to decrease and the ecosystems of
the region are being damaged. Bangladesh claims that the Farakka Barrage deprives the country of a
valuable source of water on which it depends because the Ganges waters are vital to irrigation,
navigation and prevention of saline incursions in the Bangladesh Ganges delta region. Bangladesh
holds that there should be joint control between India and Bangladesh over the waters of the
Ganges as an international river. In 1980 the Ganges Barrage Project was set up by the Bangladeshi
government in an attempt to maintain the ecological balance and save crops and property from the
17

Luca Lichtenberger

recurring floods and droughts. Interim agreements have been reached between India and
Bangladesh on this issue - the " Treaty Between the government of the Republic of India and the
government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on Sharing of the Ganga/Ganges Waters at
Farakka " signed on December 12, 1996, but a permanent settlement has not yet been attained.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

What has already been done?

In the late 1980s India's prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi began the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in an effort
to clean up the Ganges River. The plan shut down many highly polluting industrial plants along the
river and allotted funding for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities but its efforts have
fallen short as the plants are not large enough to handle the waste coming from such a large
population (Hammer, 2007). Many of the polluting industrial plants are also still continuing to dump
their hazardous waste into the river.
http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ganges-River.htm 25/11/15

The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was set up in 1985 by the Indian government with British and Dutch
support to build a number of waste treatment facilities. Under the GAP sewage is intercepted and
water is diverted for treatment and several electrical crematoria have been built. The project is now
in its second phase - GAP II.
http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 25/11/15

Already, Prime Minister Narendra Modis cleanup plan for the Ganges river has come in for criticism
from various quarters. The sharpest censure came recently from Indias Supreme Court, which
observed that the governments action plan may not result in a clean Ganges even after 200 years.
The apex court has ordered the government to provide a cleanup plan with stages and a schedule.
Promises to clean the Ganges figured in Modis election speeches and in his partys election
manifesto. Soon after coming to power in May, he signaled that the Ganges would be a priority by
creating a Ministry for Water Resources, River Development and Ganges Rejuvenation. A flurry of
meetings followed. In July, the government announced Namami Ganga, (in Sanskrit it means
obeisance to the Ganges), an Integrated Ganges Development Project, and allocated around $334
million for it. It promised a clean Ganges in three years.
However, little is known about the Ganges project or what it entails.
All we have are some indications in a statement here and a report there of some of the likely
elements of the plan: cleaning the Ganges, removing the pollution, environmental flows, at least one
branch of Ganges to be free-flowing, construction of ghats [steps leading to the river] at some
selected points, and making the Ganges navigable from Allahabad to Haldia, observes Shripad
Dharmadhikary, founder of Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, an NGO that works on water-related issues.
But there is no clarity about each of these components and how they would fit together, he told
The Diplomat.
18

Luca Lichtenberger

http://thediplomat.com/2014/09/cleaning-up-the-ganges/ 27/11/15

Veer Bhadra Misra, a head priest at the Sankat Mochan temple, founded the Sankat Mochan
Foundation. The foundation gives awareness on the need to protect the Ganges River. The
foundation had come up with a few ways to try to clean the river up. The plan involves a 4-mile
pipeline to intercept all the sewage that would normally flow in to the Ganges from the Varanasi
area. The pipeline would then extend another 4 miles to an elevated sandbar in the Ganges where a
series of ponds would cleanse the waste using microorganisms to destroy the bacteria. The
government has already spent about $33 million to build a plant that would help with the huge
sewage problem.
The problem with this new idea of using a pipeline to clean the water is the fact that it used electricpowered pumps to pump the water through to clean it. When the power goes out, the town
regained all the polluted water right back, and was even more than there was before! That idea was
thrown out a couple of years after it was applied.

http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/gangessolutions.htm 27/11/15

11 Research Action Plan

The main
research
question

What conflicts arise over the river Ganges and how can does be
solved?
My research question is relevant, because it will help me understand
more about the problems and conflicts over rivers. This will then help
me in the future, when I may have jobs, such as designing a dam for
a river.

Sub questions
By answering
these subquestions, you will
enable yourselves
to answer the main
research question.
Check your task
sheet and
brainstorm
additional
questions with
19

What is the geography of the river Ganges?

In what condition is the river?
Wat pollution is taking place in the river?
What are the rivers problems?
What human conflicts arise over the river?
How could they be solved?
What has already be done?
How important is the river to the people living there?

Luca Lichtenberger

your group.
Include them all
here.
Methods to be
used in the
investigation

e.g. describe the

capture sheet.
How will it be laid
out? Will you
include your subquestions? How
many websites will
you access per
sub-question?
Why?

Identify the
relevant
sources/evidence
that you will use

Where will you gather the information? (e.g. library)

I will gather the information from the library and from the internet. In
the library I may or may not find books or magazines about rivers in
general which may help me or a specific book about the river
Ganges. In the internet I am going to search for different medias. I
am going to look at newspaper articles about what is happening at
the moment, maps looking at the geography of the Ganges, videos
and normal information cites (such as BBC Bitesize, Ducksters or
khan academy). For my presentation I am going to use a wide range
of media: quotes, videos, pictures and maps
How/where are you going to record any relevant information?
I am going to create a Capture sheet, where I am going to write
down all the sub-questions. Then I am going to copy-paste all the
relevant information under the specific sub-question. I will also put
down the URL and the date I accessed it. After that I will write what I
am going to say in a separate word sheet and from there I am going
to make the Essay with pictures, quotes and maps.

Please check the Information Literacy Guide to do this correctly.

Easy bib formatting is not appropriate.
Newsweek The Ganges River

Record the
works cited.

Pictures
Chaudhary, Archana, and Rakteem Katakey. "Modi Invokes
Mahatma Gandhi to Clean Mother Ganga."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-05-27/india-s-newleader-channels-gandhi-to-clean-mother-ganga. 28 May 2014.

Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

N. a. "Rivers of India: The Ganga."

http://www.oktatabyebye.com/travel-ideas/rivers-ofindia/ganga.aspx. N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Naskar, Sudhiti. "The River Where Swimming Lessons Can Be

a Health Hazard - BBC News."
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28112403. 01 July 2014.
Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Pfly. "Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basins."
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganges-Brahmaputra-

20

Meghna_basins.jpg. 30

Luca Lichtenberger

Apr. 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Singh, Tanaya. "West Bengal Will Soon Have India's First

Community Reserve for Dolphins - The Better India."

http://www.thebetterindia.com/36173/community-reserve-forgangetic-river-dolphins/. 12 Oct. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

. "?_

." http://world.yam.com/post.php?id=2144. 07 July
2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Websites
Briney, Amanda. "Ganges River.
"http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/Ga
n
ges-River.htm. N.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
Jaiswal, Rakesh. "Ganges River Pollution." http://www.allabout-india.com/Ganges-River-Pollution.html. N.d. Web.
27 Nov. 2015.
N. a. "Ganges River - Solutions."
http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/gangessolutions
.
htm. N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
N. a. "Ganges River Basin."

http://www.riverbasin.org/index.cfm?&menuid=93&parentid=87 .
N.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

N.a. "Ganges
River."http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Gang
es_River. N.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
N.a. "India : Ganges River."
https://sites.google.com/a/woodward.edu/worldgeography-wiki/wiki-projects/top-sites-of-southasia/india-ganges-river. N.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.
N.a. "Living River: The Ganges."
http://www.livingriverfilm.com/ganga-facts/

N.d. Web. 27 Nov.

2015.
Ramachandran, Sudha. "Cleaning Up the Ganges."
http://thediplomat.com/2014/09/cleaning-up-the-ganges/. 15
Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

21

Luca Lichtenberger

Rogers, Janak. "India's Polluted Ganges River Threatens

People's Livelihoods. http://www.dw.com/en/indiaspolluted-ganges-river-threatens-peopleslivelihoods/a17237276. 21 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

YouTube Clips
Allinone, Imzy. "Water Pollution in India a Serious Concern a
Documentary - Every Indian Must Watch This Video."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG3thzNUIdY. 24 Apr. 2014.
Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Kalpavata. "GANGES or GANGA - A COMPLETE
Documentary: [MUST WATCH]."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM9aPy7H534. 10 Oct.
2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
What steps will
you follow to
address/ answer
the research
question?
Develop an action
plan for the main
stages of the
investigation. The
action plan should
be framed by the
sub-questions but
should be treated
like a check list of
things- to-do.
Include what
needs to be done
and when you aim
to have it
completed by

22

Insert table that outlines: task, completion date and checklist

Action

Date

Tick

Start the Action Plan

Wednesday 18th
November, 2015

Carry on with the

Action Plan and if
not possible finish
the Action Plan at
home

Friday 20th
November, 2015

Create capture
sheet and start
researching

Wednesday 25th
November, 2015

Finish research in
class. If not finish
over the weekend

Friday 27th
November, 2015

Start the report in

class and finish it
over the weekend.

Friday 27th
November, 2015

Finish the
bibliography and the
evaluation over the

Friday 27th
November, 2015
Sunday 29th

Due Monday 23th

November, 2015

Due Wednesday 2th

December, 2015
/

Due Wednesday 2th

December, 2015
/

Luca Lichtenberger

weekend

November, 2015

Submit the word

document over Turn
it In

Wednesday 9th
December, 2015

Reflection of Action Plan:

The Action Plan helped finish my report in time and as good as
possible. With the Action Plan I used my time effectively and
efficiently. I followed the Action Plan precisely and finished the report
on Monday. This way I had enough time to read over it and correct
some mistakes. I didnt have any evaluation questions, so I could not
do that step. I also did not calculate in the time when to go to the
library. I did manage to read through newspaper articles online and
watch some YouTube Clips, but I did not find any books about the
river Ganges in the library.

Evaluation
Questions to
follow

23