Lok Sabha Question No. 2222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Surface Water Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2016

## Surface Water Pollution

## 2222. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of rise in surface water pollution due to discharge of waste in water bodies severely affecting the health of the people and causing various water borne diseases;
- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the Government has set any norms to check the surface water pollution in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has put any mechanism in place to ensure proper implementation of the said norms; and
- (e) the  corrective  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  curtail  surface  water  pollution  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a)& (b) The rivers stretches are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated / partially treated sewage  and  discharge  of  industrial  wastewater.  The  Central  Pollution  Control  Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PPCs) monitors the quality of water bodies at 2500 locations across the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP) whose data indicate that organic pollution is the predominant cause of water pollution. Based on the magnitude of organic pollution, CPCB, in 2008, identified 150 polluted river stretches which  increased  to  302  in  2015.  Pollution  could  be  one  of  the  triggering  factors  for water borne diseases.
- (c)&(d) The  Government  formulates  and  notifies  standards  for  discharge  of  environmental pollutants into environmental media including surface water from industries, operations or processes. The standards are enforced by concerned State Pollution Control Board / Pollution  Control  Committee  (SPCB/  PCC)  through  consent  mechanism  and  through regular monitoring.
- (e) The steps taken by the Government to address the issues of water pollution, inter alia, include the following:-
- i. Preparation  of  action  plan  for  sewage  management  and  restoration  of  water quality in aquatic resources by State Governments;
- ii. Installation  of  Online  Effluent  Monitoring  System  to  check  the  discharge  of effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies;
- iii. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality;
- iv. Action  to  comply  with  effluent  standards  is  taken  by  State  Pollution  Control Boards /  Pollution  Control  Committees (SPCBs / PCCs) to improve the water quality of the rivers;
- v. Financial  assistance  for  installation  of  Common  Effluent  Treatment  Plants  for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units;
- vi. Issuance of directions for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge;
- vii. Issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to industries  and  under  Section  18(1)(b)  of  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of Pollution) Act, 1974;
- viii. Implementation of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for abatement of pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  various  rivers  and  undertaking  conservation activities  which inter-alia include  interception  &  diversion  of  raw  sewage, construction  of  sewerage  systems,  setting  up  of  sewage  treatment  plants,  low cost sanitation facilities, education and awareness creation, community participation, electric/improved wood crematoria and river front development.

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