(C)lean(-)Ganga Mission and fun in rounding up!

The Centre, finally, resorts to the much-awaited work of cleaning the lifeline of the country, the great River Ganges. Much-awaited by me, at least. A move that it ought to make long ago, but, I got enough of my country's politics, its rhetoric and would take the "better late than never" stance.

What is still a bouncer to me is why it should take 11 years to add 2,000 mld (million litres per day = 1,000 m^3/d) water treatment plants to the existing 1,000 mld ones. What's more, the Govt. says it needs only 10 years to achieve the feat. Slight addition mistake I guess then, on our side. Prove that 2009 + 10 = 2020! What is really with this rounding up? Why the rounded 10 years in the first place? If there is political will, there are proven results even in our country that have stunned the world. The Cochin International Airport, for example, was operational in a record time of six years!

I am not underestimating the scale of the project. For example, the sixth largest city in India, Hyderabad, needs treatment facilities with a total capacity of about 40 mld. Such a plan requires a total area of about 21 acres. Extrapolating, for an added 2,000 mld, an area of about 1,050 acres is needed for the Clean Ganga Mission (CGM) (of course, assuming that they are going to build completely new ones, which will not be the case. The existing facilities will be used and expanded upon -- land needed will be less than 1,050 acres, but, chuck that for conservativeness). I am guessing a major fraction of the time asked of 11 years by the Centre will go in acquiring this area. The problem is not in acquiring the lands per se, but, in not remunerating displaced people with their actual losses. If I have to get into this, I will only say that the Govt. should make an offer that the displaced people cannot afford to reject. Is this going to happen? Why do you think the Centre has asked for 11 years then?

If there were real motive to work for the cause, neither will the time frame be set for 10 years from now, nor the deadline be set one year later than that 10 years from now to 2020. I simply hate the real snails.