Lok Sabha Question No. 2108 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-08
Subject: Solid Wastes in Water Bodies
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: K. C. VENUGOPAL

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2108

ANSWERED ON 08.0 3.201 8

## SOLID WASTES IN WATE R BODIES

## 2108. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL

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

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the increasing amount of solid wastes in var resources including back waters in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has conducted any surveys and studies regarding the impact and of wastes in these water bodies and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the action taken by the Government to stop the dumping of so lid wastes and cleaning of the water bodies?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

( a) to (c) Managem ent of Solid Wastes (SWM) is a S tate subject & Municipal function and as such local bodies are responsible for performing this important activity. The local bodies in t therefore, required to plan, design, operate, and maintain the SWM system in their respe towns.

U nder  Namami  Gange  programme,  following  initiatives  have  been  taken  to  reduce  the waste in the river Ganga / Yamuna:

1. River  surface  cleaning  through  mechanical  trash  skimmers  at  11  locations  namely  Ha Garhmukteshwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, P atna, Sahibganj, Kolkata, Nabadweep, Delhi and Mathura- Vrindavan.
2. Ghat cleaning activities at Varanasi
3. Awareness creation and public outreach activities regarding management of solid waste.

Apart from the above for cleaning of river Ganga various measures such as sewage treatment, treatment of industrial effluent, in - situ b oremediation of drains, rural sanitation, ghats & cre works, afforestation, biodiversity are also being undertaken.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climat e Change has been supplementing the efforts of th State  Government s in  abatement  of  pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  various  rivers National  River  Conservation  Plan  ( NRCP ) ,  on  cost  sharing  basis  between  the  Central  &  Sta Governments  for  ta king  up  various  pollution  abatement  works.  The  works  taken  up  under  NR inter - alia, includes interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of sewerage syst up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat dev elopment, etc. NRCP has covered polluted stretches of 32 rivers in 76 towns spread over 14 States at a sanct Rs.  4579.56  crore.  So  far,  Central  share  of  Rs.  2236.98  crore  has  been  released  to Governments  for  implementation  of  vario us  pollution  abatement  schemes  &  sewage  treatment capacity of 2466.43 mld (million litres per day) has been created under the NRCP.

For conservation, management and restoration of identified lakes and wetlands in th in a holistic manner, Ministry of MoEFCC is currently implementing a scheme namely, Nation Conservation of Aquatic Eco - systems (NPCA) on cost sharing basis between Central Government and respective State Government. The scheme provides assistance for various components which i solid waste management, insitu cleaning i.e. desilting, deweeding etc. MoEF&CC had notified the Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Mana gement)  Rules,  2010  to  regulate  various  activities  within wetlands.  The  prohibited  activities  include  solid  waste  dumping,  discharge  of  untreat effluents  etc.  The  Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2017  also  pro hi bit  the  said activ ities.

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