Context: 

Under the Namami Gange Programme, turtles are introduced to clean the Ganga and rejuvenate the nearly 2,600­km river network. 

Key points

• Turtles play a role in clearing rotten or half burnt human bodies as well as flowers dumped into the river.
• During the assessment of the river’s pH levels (i.e. acidic nature) at various locations, the water quality was found suitable for bathing. 
• Improvements in biochemical oxygen de­mand, faecal coliform and dissolved oxygen  levels were seen during river water quality checks.

About Namami Gange Programme:

• It is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in 2014
• Budget outlay: Rs.20,000 Crore 
• Twin objectives: 
  1. Effective abatement of pollution 
  2. Conservation and rejuvenation of national river Ganga.
• Nodal Department and Ministry: Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Implementing agency: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
• Pillars of the Programme:
  1. Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure
  2. River-Surface Cleaning
  3. Afforestation
  4. Industrial Effluent Monitoring
  5. River-Front Development
  6. Biodiversity
  7. Public Awareness
  8. Ganga Gram

News Source: The Hindu