Lok Sabha Question No. 1756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-28
Subject: Increase of Pollution in Ganga River
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 1756

ANSWERED ON 28 .12.2017

## INCREASE OF POLLUTIO N IN GANGA RIVER

## 1756. SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  pollution  in  Ganga  river  has  increased decreasing since 2014;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has carried out any detailed studies to examine the extent and of pollution in Ganga river;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government still expects to clean Ganga river by 2022 and if so, the details and the action to be taken to achieve the target in the stipulated time?

## 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 (CPCB) assesses water quality of river Ganga in 5 association with respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) on monthly basis.

The overall water quality of Ganga for the period 2014 - 16 is given in the table below:

| YEAR   | TEMPERATURE ºC   | TEMPERATURE ºC   | D.O. (mg/l)   | D.O. (mg/l)   | pH   | pH   | CONDUCTIVITY (µmhos/cm)   | CONDUCTIVITY (µmhos/cm)   | B.O.D. (mg/l)   | B.O.D. (mg/l)   | FECAL COLIFORM (MPN/100ml)   | FECAL COLIFORM (MPN/100ml)   | TOTAL COLIFORM (MPN/100ml)   | TOTAL COLIFORM (MPN/100ml)   |
|--------|------------------|------------------|---------------|---------------|------|------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
|        | Min              | Max              | Min           | Max           | Min  | Max  | Min                       | Max                       | Min             | Max             | Min                          | Max                          | Min                          | Max                          |
| 2014   | 13               | 35 2.8           | 11.1          | 6.3           | 8.9  |      | 42                        | 6320                      | 0               | 12              | 370                          | 1300000                      | 4                            | 5000000                      |
| 2015   | 12               | 40 2.9           | 11.6          | 6.7           |      | 9.3  | 153                       | 6250                      | 0.4             | 16              | 370                          | 700000                       | 2                            | 1400000                      |
| 2016   | 5                | 36 2.5           | 10.6          | 6.3           |      | 8.7  | 98                        | 13370                     | 0.0             | 12.2            | 220                          | 300000                       | 21                           | 500000                       |

As can be seen from the above table, water quality of Ganga w.r.t key parameters is fluctuating during the period 2014 -2016.

(c)  &  (d)  Under  the  Namami  Gange  programme,  the  Pollution I nventorisation  Assessment  and Surveillance  of  river  Ganga  (PIAS)  project  is  being  executed  by  Central  Pollution  Cont rol  Board (CPCB).  The    objectives  of    PIAS  project  are  identification  and  pollution  assessment pollution sources including major drains joining river Ganga and its tributaries, invent compliance  verification  of  Grossly  Polluting  Indus tries  (GPIs),  performance  evaluation  of  Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs)/Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), collation of observatio identifying  interventions  required.    Under  the  Namami  Gange  programme,  Strengtheni Environmental  Regulators (SERs)  project  and  Water  Quality  Monitoring  System  for  River  Gang (WQM) are also being executed by CPCB. Under the SER project, CPCB is carrying out ma water quality monitoring at 80 locations and Real time water quality monitoring at 44 loc ng river Ganga and its tributaries.

(e) Namami Gange Programme is a holistic approach to clean Ganga through various activiti as  treatment  of  municipal  sewage,  treatment  of  industrial  effluent,  river  surface  cl sanitation, ghats & cre matoria works, afforestation, biodiversity, awareness creation & public etc. Total 187 projects for various activities have been sanctioned, out of which 47 projec completed. Cleaning of river is a continuous process and all out efforts are on to complete the projects

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