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Abstract— The Ramganga River, a significant tributary of the Ganges, faces escalating degradation due to untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and unregulated anthropogenic activity in western Uttar Pradesh. This study presents an integrated evaluation of two field-based interventions conducted by the College of Agricultural Sciences, Teerthanker Mahaveer University (TMU), Moradabad - a community survey on pollution and socio-economic practices (January 2025) and a cleanup and awareness drive (September 2025) under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Employing participatory observation, stakeholder interviews, and environmental assessment, the study explores the role of academic institutions in catalyzing behavioral and ecological transformation. Findings reveal that localized engagement initiatives significantly improved environmental awareness and riverbank sanitation, with 15+ bags of solid waste collected and disposed of safely during the clean-up. Field observations highlighted major environmental stressors - untreated wastewater discharge, sand mining, agricultural runoff, and inadequate waste management infrastructure. Community interactions revealed socio-economic dependence on the river coupled with limited awareness of sustainable practices. These outcomes align with national policy goals emphasizing community-led governance, environmental education, and decentralized restoration mechanisms. The paper concludes that structured academic involvement, combined with continuous awareness campaigns and ecological monitoring, provides a replicable model for river rejuvenation. Recommendations include establishing decentralized treatment systems, strengthening waste segregation infrastructure, and scaling university-community partnerships across the Ganga basin.
Singh et al. (Sun,) studied this question.