Lok Sabha Question No. 3970 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-10
Subject: National River Conservation Programme
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3970

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2018

## National River Conservation Programme

## 3970. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

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

(a) the objectives of National River Conservation Programme (NRCP);

- (b) whether there is any proposal to bring all rivers under the ambit of NRCP and, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  identified  any  stretch  of  rivers/streams  that  are flowing in Karnataka, based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) level in rivers, a key indicator of organic pollution under NRCP and if so, the details thereof;

(d)      the  details  of  steps  taken  by  Government  to  improve  the  water  quality  of  the polluted stretches of rivers/streams; and

- (e)       the amount sanctioned for this purpose during the last three years?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) & (b) The objective of the Centrally  Sponsored Scheme  of  National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) is to reduce the pollution load in rivers through implementation of pollution abatement works in various towns along identified polluted stretches of rivers for improvement in their water quality. The Ministry supplements the efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in  this  regard  by  providing  financial  assistance  for taking up works relating to  interception & diversion of raw sewage, laying of sewer lines, setting  up  of  sewage  treatment  plants,  low  cost  sanitation  facilities,  improved  wood crematoria,  river  front/bathing  ghat  development,  etc.  The  project  proposals  under NRCP  are sanctioned on cost sharing basis between the Central and State Governments.

Project proposals are received from the State Governments from time to time for taking up pollution abatement works in towns along various rivers, and are considered for  financial  assistance  under  the  NRCP  subject  to  their  conformity  with  the  scheme guidelines,  pollution  status,  prioritization,  appraisal  by  independent  institutions  and availability of Plan funds.

(c)    Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  association  with  the  State  Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) is monitoring the water quality of rivers on a regular basis. As per  a  report  published  by  CPCB  in  February  2015,  the  following  15  polluted  river stretches  have  been  identified  in  Karnataka,  based  on  the  Bio-chemical  Oxygen Demand (BOD) level, a key indicator of organic pollution:

|   Sl. No. | River           | Identified Polluted Stretches         |
|-----------|-----------------|---------------------------------------|
|         1 | Arkavathi       | Halli reservoir to Kanakapura town    |
|         2 | Bhadra          | Holehunnur to Bhadravathi             |
|         3 | Bhima           | Ghanapur to Yadgir                    |
|         4 | Cauvery         | Ranganthittu to Sathyamangalam Bridge |
|         5 | Ghatprabha      | Gokak to Chigadolli                   |
|         6 | Kabini          | Nanjanagud to Hejjige                 |
|         7 | Kagina          | Shahabad to Hongunta                  |
|         8 | Kali            | Hasanmaad to Bommanahalli Reservoir   |
|         9 | Krishna         | Yadurwadi to Tintini Bridge           |
|        10 | Lakshman Tirtha | Kattemalavadi to Hunsur               |
|        11 | Malprabha       | Khanapur to Dharwad                   |
|        12 | Manjira         | Bidar to Hussain Nagar                |
|        13 | Shimsha         | Yediyar to Halagur                    |
|        14 | Tungabhadra     | Harihar to Korlahalli                 |
|        15 | Tunga           | Shivamoga to Kudli                    |

(d) & (e)  NRCP {excluding Ganga and its tributaries, which are handled by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation from 1.8.2014 onwards} has covered polluted stretches  of 32 rivers  in  76  towns  spread  over  14  States  in  the country,  including  Karnataka,  at  a  sanctioned  cost  of  Rs.  4581.91  crore,  and  Central share of Rs. 2258.73  crore has  been  released  to the  State  Governments  for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes. This includes works taken up at  a  sanctioned  cost  of  Rs.66.25  crore  in  Karnataka,  for  which  Central  Share  of Rs.47.83 crore was released to the State Government. Sewage treatment capacity of 2472.43  mld  (million  litres  per  day)  has  been  created  so  far  under  NRCP,  including 41.64 mld  in Karnataka. State-wise details of funds released to various State Governments during the last three years and current year (till 30.6.2018) under NRCP are at Annexure.

To  ensure    proper  treatment  of  municipal  sewage  before  discharge  into  the rivers, 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  SPCBs/Pollution  Control Committees (PCCs) in the country, including Karnataka, regarding setting up of sewage treatment plants in their respective States. CPCB has also issued directions in October, 2015 to municipal authorities of 184 towns (66 metropolitan cities and State capitals + towns  along  Ganga)  under  Section  5  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  for proper treatment and disposal of sewage generated to control pollution in rivers.

To control discharge  of industrial  effluents,  CPCB  and  respective SPCBs/ PCCs 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.  In  this  regard,  various  steps  taken  by Government include rigorous monitoring and directions to grossly polluting industries & 17 categories of highly polluting industries for installation of online (24x7) monitoring devices,  promoting  low  waste  concept  in  industries  particularly  those  located  on  the river  banks,  notifying  industry  specific  effluent  standards,  promoting  setting  up  of CETPs for cluster of small industries, etc.

*****

Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (d) & (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3970 to be answered on Friday, the 10 th August, 2018 on 'National River Conservation Programme'

Details of the funds released to the State Governments during the last three years and the current financial year for pollution  abatement  of  various  rivers  under  National  River Conservation Plan

(Rs. in crore)

| Sl. No.   | State       | River                  | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2018-19 (till 30.06.2018)   |
|-----------|-------------|------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------|
| 1.        | Gujarat     | Sabarmati & Mindola    | 24.12     | 71.40     | 62.00     | -                           |
| 2.        | Maharashtra | Mula Mutha             | 4.99      | 21.00     | 31.75     | -                           |
| 3.        | Punjab      | Ghaggar, Beas & Satluj | 17.61     | --        | 50.00     | -                           |
| 4.        | Kerala      | Pamba                  | 5.00      | --        | --        | -                           |
| 5.        | Sikkim      | Rani Chu               | 1.00      | 5.00      | 18.01     | 15.00                       |
| 6.        | Nagaland    | Diphu & Dhansiri       | 10.00     | --        | 5.00      | 5.00                        |
| 7.        | Odisha      | Coastal Area (Puri)    | --        | --        | 1.99      | -                           |
| 8.        | Goa         | Sal                    | --        | --        | 3.00      | -                           |
| Total     | Total       |                        | 62.72     | 97.40     | 171.75    | 20.00                       |