Lok Sabha Question No. 2562 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-01
Subject: Action against Offenders Violating Ganga Cleaning Guidelines
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2562

ANSWERED ON 01.12.2016

## ACTION AGAINST OFFENDERS VIOLATING GANGA CLEANING GUIDELINES

## †2562.             SHRI NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

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

- (a) whether the Government has started a cleanliness drive to clean Ganga;
- (b) if so, the details of the works being undertaken by the Government to clean Ganga;
- (c) whether the Government has issued any guideline/notification to punish/ penalize the offenders who thrown trash in Ganga; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the number of people thus punished during the current plan period till date?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)

- (a) & (b) 'Namami  Gange'  cleanliness  drive  covers  short  term;  medium  term  and  long  term activities. Under short term action plan, certain interventions have been visualized under the heading of 'Entry  Level  Activities  which  covers  development  of  ghats,  crematoria  and  river  surface  cleaning activities.

Under  medium  term  action  plan,  existing  Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STPs)  and  Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) will be upgraded and new STPs and ETPs will be established with an aim to stop untreated sewerage and industrial wastes falling in the river. Besides, rural sanitation has been taken up in the villages on the banks of River Ganga.

The long term action plan involves restoration of wholesomeness of River Ganga, maintaining the ecological and geological integrity of the river.

As  on  30th  September  2016,  128  projects  have  been  sanctioned  under  Namami  Gange Programme  (including  the  existing  projects  sanctioned  under  NGRBA  Programme)  at  an  estimated project cost of Rs.9419 crore. Out of these, 42 projects are sanctioned exclusively under new components of Namami Gange Programme with a sanctioned cost of Rs 977.07 crore. 58 project are sanctioned to create  808.23  MLD new STP and rehabilitation of 1089.00 MLD of STP and laying/ rehabilitation of 3627.15 Km sewer network. 8 projects are completed which has created 127.90 MLD of STP and laid 847.36 km of sewerage network.

- (c) The existing legislations i.e., the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986 provide for necessary penal action against the offenders.
- (d) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has inspected  752 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) (as on 30th June, 2016) out of the identified 764 GPIs operating on the bank of River Ganga and issued directions under Section 5 of E (P) Act, 1986 to 573 units found non-compliant during inspection. Out of these  573  units,  65  units  were  issued  closure  directions.  Five  key  industrial  sectors  namely,  distillery, sugar, pulp & paper, tannery and textile contributing 90% of inorganic load into the river system have been issued directions to achieve water conservation and zero liquid discharge by March, 2017.

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