Lok Sabha Question No. 1513 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Dumping of Pollutants  into Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1513

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2017

## Dumping of Pollutants into Rivers

1513. SHRI KESINENI NANI:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any projects for treatment of waste water before it is allowed to enter river waters and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of rivers covered under the said projects;
- (c) the details of major sources of pollutants entering the river and the steps being taken to treat these pollutants at source; and
- (d) whether there exists any penal provisions for dumping of pollutants into rivers and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  (DR.  HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to (c) Pollution load in rivers has increased over the years due to rapid urbanization and  industrialization.  Discharge  of  untreated  and  partially  treated  industrial  effluents/ wastewater  and  municipal  sewage  from  towns  constitute  the  major  source  of  pollution  in rivers.

It  is  the  responsibility  of  the  State  Governments/  concerned  local  bodies  to  set  up facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage for abatement of pollution of rivers.  This  Ministry  has  been  supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in abatement  of  pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  various  rivers  under  National  River Conservation Plan (NRCP), which has covered polluted stretches of 31 rivers in 75 towns spread over 14 States at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 4517.82 crore. So far, Central share of Rs.  2066.98  crore  has  been  released  to  the  State  Governments  for  implementation  of various  pollution  abatement  schemes    and  sewage  treatment  capacity  of  2446.24  mld (million litres per day) has been created under the NRCP.  The details of towns and rivers covered so far under NRCP, State-wise are at Annexure.

State  Governments, apart from  their  own  budgetary  allocation,  are  also  accessing financial  assistance  for  creation  of  sewerage  infrastructure,  including  sewage  treatment plants, in various cities/towns under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation  (AMRUT)    &  Smart  Cities  Mission  programmes  of  Ministry  of  Urban Development and the 'Namami Gange' programme of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

CPCB has issued directions under Section 18 1(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  in  April,  2015  to  all  the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/Pollution Control  Committees  in  the  country,  for  setting  up  of  sewage  treatment  plants  in  their respective States. CPCB also issued directions in October, 2015 to 69 municipal authorities of  metropolitan cities and State capitals, under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to ensure proper treatment and disposal of sewage generated for abatement of pollution of rivers.

To control discharge of industrial effluents, the CPCB and respective State Pollution Control  Boards/Pollution  Control  Committees  monitor  industries  with  respect  to  effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

(d) As per the provision of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, whoever fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provisions of this Act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years with fine which may extend to Rs. one lakh, or both,  and  in  case  the  failure  or  contravention  continues,  with  additional  fine  which  may extend  to  Rs.5,000/-    for  every  day  during  which  such  failure  or  contravention  continues after the conviction for the first such failure or contravention.  If the failure or contravention continues beyond a period of one year after the date of conviction,  the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years.

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## Annexure

## Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1513 to be answered on 25 th July, 2017 on 'Dumping of Pollutants into Rivers'

State-wise details of rivers covered under National River Conservation Plan

| S. No.   | State          | Rivers covered                                      |   Sanctioned Cost (Rs. in crore) |   Funds Released (Rs. in crore) |   STP Capacity created (in mld) |
|----------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh | Godavari                                            |                            21.78 |                          259.8  |                           30    |
| 2        | Telangana      | Godavari & Musi                                     |                           345.72 |                          259.8  |                          621.46 |
| 3        | Jharkhand      | Subarnarekha                                        |                             3.14 |                            4.26 |                            0    |
| 4        | Gujarat        | Sabarmati & Mindola                                 |                           808.53 |                          271.26 |                          285    |
| 5        | Goa            | Mandovi                                             |                            14.09 |                            9.26 |                           12.5  |
| 6        | Karnataka      | Tunga, Bhadra, Tungabhadra, Cauvery & Pennar        |                            66.25 |                           47.83 |                           41.64 |
| 7        | Maharashtra    | Godavari, Tapi, Krishna, Panchganga & Mula Mutha.   |                          1182.86 |                          177.2  |                          260    |
| 8        | Madhya Pradesh | Wainganga, Narmada & Tapti.                         |                            20.16 |                           12.46 |                            7.95 |
| 9        | Odisha         | Brahmini & Mahanadi                                 |                            92.74 |                           61.41 |                           48    |
| 10       | Punjab         | Ghaggar, Beas & Satluj                              |                           774.43 |                          466.16 |                          648.2  |
| 11       | Tamil Nadu     | Adyar, Cooum, Vaigai, Vennar, Cauvery & Tamrabarani |                           905.78 |                          623.65 |                          477.66 |
| 12       | Kerala         | Pamba                                               |                            18.45 |                            7.78 |                            0    |
| 13       | Sikkim         | Rani Chu                                            |                           181.09 |                          111.41 |                           13.83 |
| 14       | Nagaland       | Diphu and Dhansiri                                  |                            82.8  |                           14.5  |                            0    |
| Total    |                |                                                     |                          4517.82 |                         2066.98 |                         2446.24 |