Lok Sabha Question No. 193 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Pollution in Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 193

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2017

## Pollution in Rivers

## 193. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any study in association with the National Reference  Trace  Organics  Laboratory  and  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board (CPCB)  that  high  dose  of  harmful  insecticides  used  in  mosquito  (Lindane) repellents  and  industrial  waste  are  present  in  Yamuna  river  water  and  in  other rivers including those flowing in Bihar;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to stop the pollution and to protect the people living along the river side;
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the amount spent thereon during the last three years; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Lindane concentration  in  Yamuna  was  observed  to  be  lower  than  Bureau  of Indian  Standard  (BIS)  at  Palla,  Nizamuddin  Bridge,  Agra  Canal  and Okhla at Delhi.  The concentration of Lindane in other rivers in Bihar has exceeded the prescribed limit at Punpun downstream and Sultanganj.
- (c) to (e) The Government has taken various steps to control river pollution which include  monitoring  of  water  quality  of  river  Yamuna  regularly  at selected locations by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); interception  of  major  drains  to  enhance  sewage  collection  at  Delhi; augmentation  of  the  capacity  of  existing  sewage  treatment  plants  and installation  of new sewage treatment plants; directions by CPCB to all State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control  Committees

(PCCs) under Section 18(1) (b) of the Water (Prevention & Control of pollution)  Act,  1974;    directions  under  Section  5  of  the  Environment (Protection)  Act,1986  to municipal  corporations for treatment and utilization  of  sewage for restoration  of water quality of rivers.  Further, Ministry  of  Water  Resources  has  sanctioned  projects  for  controlling pollution  in  river  Yamuna  which  include  rehabilitation  of  existing Sewage Treatment Plant  (STP) at an estimated cost Rs.1656.00 crore; seven  STPs,  one  Sewage  Pumping  Station  (SPS),  seven  peripheral sewers in Najafgarh drain under Maily se Nirmal Yamuna revitalization Project  2017  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.344.81  crore;  two  STPs  and sewerage works in Sonipat and Panipat at an estimated cost of Rs.217.87 crore;  rehabilitation  of  sewerage  infrastructure/up-gradation  of  STP  at Vrindavan at an estimated cost of Rs.33.81 crore; rehabilitation/renovation of sewerage scheme at Mathura at an estimated cost  of  Rs.  351.88  crore;  STP  works  at  Naini,  Jhusi  &  Phaphamau  in Allahabad at an estimated cost of Rs. 767.59 crore.

******