Lok Sabha Question No. 2280 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-08
Subject: Presence of Harmful Elements in Ganges and Yamuna Rivers
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. †2280

ANSWERED ON 08.0 3.201 8

## PRESENCE OF HARMFUL ELEMENTS IN GANGES A ND YAMUNA RIVERS

## †2280. SHRI GOPAL SHETTY

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed or proposes to assess wastes and dirty water bein in major rivers of the country especially in the Yamun a and the Ganges along with the names of harmful elements present in their waters including the level of each such elements separat
- (b) if so, the details thereof, river -wise including the Yamuna and the Ganges; and
- (c) the action taken/ to be taken by the Government to tackle the situation?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

( DR. SATYA PAL SINGH )

(a) & (b) Central Pollution Control Board is assessing the water quality of rivers and wat released in major rivers of the country including river Ganga and Yamuna. The water quality of 540 rivers including River Ganga and Yamuna at 1533 locations is being assessed in association with State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees throughout the country .

Based  on  long  term  assessment  of  water  quality  of  Rivers  carried  out  for  th 2008 -2012, there are 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers with respect to indicator of organ pollution i.e. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in 29 States/UTs which was published in 201 per the assessment, 650 towns were identified as polluting sources along the respective r out of which 35 are metropolitan cities.

234 drains having flow of more than 1 Million Litres per day (1 MLD) discharging in stem of River Ganga and its tributaries viz, Ramganga, Kali - East Hindon, Pandu,  & Yamuna are being monitored.

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## Priority Drains discharging into main stem of River Ganga

| State/ Phase/Segment   |   No. of Priority towns |   No. of priority drains |   Flow * (MLD) |   Organic Load* (TPD) |
|------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|----------------|-----------------------|
| Uttarakhand            |                      05 |                       12 |         132.77 |                  7.11 |
| Uttar Pradesh          |                      11 |                       59 |        1927.32 |                133.32 |
| Bihar                  |                      05 |                       22 |         636.18 |                 27.36 |
| Jharkhand              |                      01 |                        2 |          30.68 |                  3    |
| West Bengal            |                      35 |                       59 |        6419.14 |                190.41 |
| Total                  |                      57 |                      154 |        9146.09 |                361.2  |

## Priority drains discharging into River Ramganga , Kali East and Pandu

| River                    |   No. of Priority towns |   No. of priority drains |   Flow* (MLD) |   Organic Load* (TPD) |
|--------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|---------------|-----------------------|
| Ramganga, Uttar Pradesh  |                      04 |                       25 |        728.13 |                 41.12 |
| Kali East, Uttar Pradesh |                      10 |                       26 |        996.53 |                 99.7  |
| Pandu, Uttar Pradesh     |                      01 |                       05 |        349.53 |                 18.6  |
| Total                    |                      15 |                       56 |       2074.19 |                159.42 |

- (c) The Government has taken following measures for pollution abatement in rivers includin and Yamuna:
- ( i ) Government has taken up 'Namami Gange Program', an integrated river conservation mission for  rejuvenation  of  river  Ganga    and  its  tributaries  including  Yamuna.  Under  thi activities are taken up in a holistic manner integrating various initiatives such development,  ghat &  crematoria,  ghat  and  river  cleaning,  rural  sanitation,  bio  reme afforestation, bio - diversity conservation and public participation & outreach.
- ( ii ) Implementation  of  water  conservation  measures  in  key  industrial  sectors  namely  Di Pulp &Paper, Sugar, Textile and Tannery.

- ( iii )Surprise inspection of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) is carried out on regular compliance verification of the stipulated environmental norms. 1109 GPIs have been i on mainstem of river Ganga and its tributaries. Out of 1109 GPIs inspected, 538 were be non - complying and out of which 358 have been issued closure directions and 180 hav issued show cause notices.
- ( iv ) Installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monito ring System (OCEMS) has been initiated for assessment of effluent quality and compliance status. Out of 1109 GPIs, OCEMS conne has been established in 753 out of 1109 GPIs.
- ( v) Establishment/Upgradation of Sewage treatment Plants and Common Effluent Tre atm Plants (CETPs) for the towns located on Ganga main stem and its tribuatries. The estimated generation of Ganga front towns as per year 2035 is 3603 MLD and capacity of existi is 1584 MLD. 100 sewerage infrastructure projects have been sanctioned and out of which 20 have been completed and remaining projects are in different stages of execution w lead to capacity addition of 1607 MLD.
- ( vi ) With respect to industrial effluents, consent management for compliance of standard enforced by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to improve the water quality of the rivers.

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