ABSTRACT River conservation planning is complicated by its inherent connectivity, variations in habitat features and difficulties in conserving entire rivers. Economic and social constraints in human-dominated river systems, such as the Ganga, further complicate planning. A multistage systemic analysis was performed to identify policy gaps and recommend the most suitable conservation strategy for the Ganga. A critical review of Indian legislation impacting the Ganga was carried out to examine conservation issues from a policy perspective. Thereafter, existing conservation planning approaches were reviewed to identify the most strategic option. The analysis suggests that the disregard for river connectivity, lack of protection, and incoherent sectoral policies hinder river conservation in India. Strategic prioritisation and zonation of the Ganga along the principles of prohibition, restriction and regulated resource use and creation of ‘optimal sites’ for biodiversity conservation under multiple management zones was recommended. Improving institutional design and capacity would enhance sectoral coordination and policy integration.

中文翻译：

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恒河保护规划：一个政策难题

摘要河流保护规划因其固有的连通性、栖息地特征的变化以及整条河流保护的困难而变得复杂。恒河等以人类为主导的河流系统的经济和社会限制使规划更加复杂。进行了多阶段系统分析，以确定政策差距并为恒河推荐最合适的保护策略。对影响恒河的印度立法进行了严格审查，以从政策角度审视保护问题。此后，审查了现有的保护规划方法，以确定最具战略意义的选择。分析表明，忽视河流连通性、缺乏保护和不连贯的部门政策阻碍了印度的河流保护。建议按照禁止、限制和规范资源使用的原则对恒河进行战略优先排序和分区，并在多个管理区下创建生物多样性保护的“最佳地点”。改进机构设计和能力将加强部门协调和政策整合。