**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Jal Shakti issued the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities (Second Amendment) Order, 2026, which came into effect on August 10, 2026. The document amends the principal 2016 Order to establish precise definitions for flood plain zones and mandates stricter maintenance of river banks. The primary purpose is to enhance pollution control and preserve natural groundwater recharge functions through updated regulatory classifications.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Updated Definitions for Flood Zones**
* **Active Flood Plain:** Defined as the area of the River Ganga or its tributaries that is submerged during floods corresponding to a one-in-five-year return period.
* **Flood Plain:** Defined as the area on either side of the river submerged due to its greatest flow or a flood frequency of once in a hundred years.
* **Zonal Categorization:** The "flood plain" now specifically encompasses the active flood plain, the regulatory zone (floods between a 5-year and 25-year return period), and the warning zone (floods between a 25-year and 100-year return period).
* **Maintenance of River Banks and Plains**
* **Pollution Mitigation:** The banks of the River Ganga, its tributaries, and their flood plains must be maintained specifically to reduce pollution sources and environmental pressures.
* **Groundwater Preservation:** Authorities are required to implement measures to preserve the natural groundwater recharge functions of these areas.
* **Scope of Application:** These maintenance requirements apply to both the main river and all its tributaries.
**Impact Analysis**
**National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Central/State Authorities**
**Impact**
These authorities are now governed by more granular definitions of flood zones, requiring a more sophisticated approach to river management and spatial planning.
**Action Required**
Authorities must update their mapping, monitoring, and conservation protocols to distinguish between active, regulatory, and warning zones. They must implement "necessary measures" to ensure river banks and plains are protected from pollution and that groundwater recharge remains functional.
**Local Environmental and Maintenance Agencies**
**Impact**
Agencies responsible for the physical upkeep of river banks are now explicitly mandated to prioritize groundwater recharge and pollution reduction in their operations.
**Action Required**
Review and adjust maintenance activities on river banks and flood plains to ensure compliance with the new environmental protection standards and zonal definitions.
Key Entities Referenced
River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities (Second Amendment) Order, 2026: The primary notification that amends existing rules to refine the definitions of active flood plains and regulatory zones for river protection.
River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016: The principal policy document being amended, which provides the framework for the conservation and management of the Ganga river system.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The central legislation that grants the government the authority to issue orders and regulations for protecting the environment and managing the River Ganga.
River Ganga and its tributaries: The central geographic focus of the policy, where specific flood plain definitions and maintenance measures for pollution reduction are applied.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The primary union ministry overseeing the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation responsible for this order.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-11082026-275363
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DLxx-ExG-I1D1E0x8x2x0 26-275363
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 4249] नई ददल्ली, सोमिार, अगस्ट्त 10, 2026/श्रािण 19, 1948
No. 4249] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2026/SHRAVAN 19, 1948
िल िजि मत्रं ालय
(िल ससं ाधन, नदी जिकास और गगं ा सरं क्षण जिभाग)
अजधसचू ना
नई ददल्ली, 7 अगस्ट्त, 2026
का.आ. 4427(अ).— पयाािरण (संरक्षण) अजधजनयम, 1986 (1986 का 29) की धारा 3 की उपधाराओं
(2) एि ं (3) द्वारा प्रदत्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, केंद्रीय सरकार एतद्द्वारा गंगा नदी (संरक्षण, सरु क्षा एि ं
प्रबंधन) प्राजधकरण आदेि, 2016 में और संिोधन करने के जलए जनम्नजलजखत आदेि करती ह,ै अर्ाता ्:—
1. (1) इस आदेि का संजक्षप्त नाम गंगा नदी (संरक्षण, सुरक्षा एिं प्रबंधन) प्राजधकरण (जद्वतीय संिोधन) आदेि,
2026 होगा।
(2) यह सरकारी रािपत्र में प्रकािन की तारीख से लागू होगा।
2. गंगा नदी (संरक्षण, सरु क्षा एिं प्रबंधन) प्राजधकरण आदेि, 2016 में—
(1) अनुच्छेद 3 के उप-अनुच्छेद (1) में—
(i) खंड (ए) के पश्चात जनम्नजलजखत खंड डाला िाएगा, अर्ाात्:—
6169 GI/2062 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
"(एए) 'सदिय बाढ़ मैदान' स ेअजभप्राय गंगा नदी अर्िा उसकी उपनददयों का िह क्षेत्र ह ैिो पााँच िर्षीय पुनरािृजत्त
अिजध के अनुरूप आने िाली बाढ़ के कारण िलमग्न हो िाता ह।ै "
(ii) खंड (एल) के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत खंड प्रजतस्ट्र्ाजपत दकया िाएगा, अर्ाता ्:—
"(एल) "बाढ़ मैदान" का अर्ा गंगा नदी अर्िा इसकी उपनददयों के ऐसे क्षेत्र से ह ैिो इसके अजधकतम प्रिाह अर्िा
100 िर्षा में एक बार आन ेिाली बाढ़ के समान बाढ़ के कारण दोनों ओर िल के अंदर आ िाता है तर्ा इसमें सदिय
बाढ़ मैदान, जिजनयामक क्षेत्र [अर्ाात पााँच िर्षीय पुनरािृजत्त अिजध और िर्षीय पुनरािृजत्त अिजध के बीच
पच्चीस
आने िाली बाढ़ से आच्छाददत बाढ़ मैदान का क्षेत्र] तर्ा चेतािनी क्षेत्र [अर्ाात िर्षीय पुनरािृजत्त अिजध
पच्चीस
और सौ िर्षीय पुनरािृजत्त अिजध के बीच आन े िाली बाढ़ से आच्छाददत क्षेत्र] सजममजलत होंगे।"
(2) अनुच्छेद 4 में, खंड (ix) के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत खडं प्रजतस्ट्र्ाजपत दकया िाएगा, अर्ाात्:—
"(ix) नदी गंगा अर्िा उसकी उपनददयों के तटों तर्ा उनके बाढ़ मैदानों का रख-रखाि इस प्रकार दकया िाएगा
दक प्रदर्षू ण के स्रोतों एि ं दबािों में कमी लाई िा सके तर्ा आिश्यक उपायों के माध्यम स े उनके प्राकृजतक भू-िल
पुनभारण के कायों का सरं क्षण दकया िा सके।"
[फा. सं. L-25012(11)/22/2024-LME NMCG]
राजि िमाा, कायाकारी जनदेिक (प्रिासन)
टटप्पणी: मूल आदेि भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण, भाग II, खंड 3, उपखंड (ii) में अजधसूचना संख्या का.आ.
3187(अ), ददनांक 7 अक्टूबर, 2016 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकया गया र्ा तर्ा उसमें अंजतम संिोधन अजधसूचना संख्या
का.आ. 2337(अ), ददनांक 7 मई, 2026 द्वारा दकया गया र्ा।
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
(Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 7th August, 2026
S.O. 4427(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 3 of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), the Central Government hereby makes the following order
further to amend the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016,
namely: -
1. (1) This Order may be called the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities
(Second Amendment) Order, 2026.
(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016-
(1) in paragraph 3, in sub-paragraph (1), -
(i) after clause (a), the following clause shall be inserted, namely -
“(aa) “active flood plain” means such area of River Ganga or its tributaries which comes under water due
to floods corresponding to a one in five-year return period;”;
(ii) for clause (l), the following clause shall be substituted, namely: -
“ (l) ‘flood plain” means such area of River Ganga or its tributaries which comes under water on either side
of it due to floods corresponding to its greatest flow or with a flood of frequency once in hundred years and
includes active flood plain, regulatory zone (area of flood plain covered by floods between one in five-year[भाग II—खण् ड 3(ii)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
return period and one in twenty five-year return period) and warning zone (area covered by floods between
the one in twenty five-year return period and one in one hundred-year return period),”;
(2) in paragraph 4, for clause (ix), the following clause shall be substituted, namely: -
“(ix) the bank of River Ganga or its tributaries and their flood plains shall be maintained to reduce pollution
sources, pressures and to preserve their natural ground water recharge functions through necessary
measures;”
[F. No. L-25012(11)/22/2024-LME NMCG]
RASHI SHARMA, Executive Director (Administration)
Note- The principal order was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section
(ii), vide notification number S.O. 3187(E), dated the 7th October, 2016, and last amended vide notification
number S.O. 2337 (E), dated the 7th May, 2026.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.