Lok Sabha Question No. 7 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Drying up of Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: K. ASHOK KUMAR

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 7

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2017

## Drying up of Rivers

- *7. SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether experts have predicted the drying up of many rivers in the country soon; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether criminal negligence towards environment and river conservation has been highlighted as the reason for drying up of rivers in the country; and if so, the details thereof and the corrective measures taken/proposed to be taken

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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- (d) by the Government in this regard?

## Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question No.7 to be answered on Friday, the 15 th December, 2017 on 'Drying up of Rivers' by Shri K. Ashok Kumar.

(a) to (c) There  are  two  types  of  rivers  in  the  country  -  perennial  rivers,  in  which water remains available throughout the year and non-perennial rivers, which are rain-fed rivers and in which water flows only during the rainfall period.  The flow in the river is a dynamic  parameter  and  depends  on  many  sub-parameters  such  as  rainfall, its distribution  and  intensity  in  the  catchment,  health  of  catchment  area,  vegetation  and withdrawals/utilization of water.

While reports by some experts have expressed concern about reduction in water flow  in  rivers,  the  annual  average  flow  data  maintained  by  Central Water  Commission (CWC) for last 20 years for major/important rivers in the country does not indicate any significant reduction in water availability.  However, as per CWC, the per capita annual water availability in the country has progressively reduced due to increase in population, urbanization, improved life style of people, etc.

(d) Water being a  State subject,  steps for  augmentation,  conservation  and  efficient management  to  ensure  sustainability of water resources are undertaken  by the respective State Governments . In order to supplement the efforts of State Governments, Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  (MoWR, RD&GR) provides technical and financial assistance to State Governments to encourage sustainable development and efficient management of water resources through various schemes. The National Water Policy-2012 has been formulated by MoWR, RD&GR with the objective of preparing a framework for creation of laws, institutions and plan of action for  water  resources  development  and  management  taking  into  account  the  existing situation. A National Perspective Plan for Water Resources Development has also been formulated by MoWR, RD&GR for transfer of water from surplus basins to water deficient basins.

Discharge  of  untreated  and  partially  treated  sewage  from  cities/towns  and industrial effluents constitute a  major source of pollution in rivers. Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change 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).  The  NRCP  has  so  far  covered  polluted stretches of 31 rivers (excluding Ganga and its tributaries) in 75 towns spread over 14 States at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 4517.82 crore. So far, Central share of Rs. 2180.97 crore  has  been  released  to  the  State  Governments  for  implementation  of  various pollution abatement schemes and sewage treatment plant (STP) capacity of 2455.43 mld (million litres per day) has been created under the NRCP.

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 MoWR, RD&GR.

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

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