Lok Sabha Question No. 3649 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-08
Subject: Pollution Standards for Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SATYA PAL SINGH, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3649

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2017

## Pollution Standards for Rivers

## 3649.  DR. SATYAPAL SINGH: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

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

- (a) the  criteria/norms  regarding  standard  level  of  water  pollution  for  major  rivers  of  the country set by the Government;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any study to check the water pollution vis-a-vis standard  level  of  pollution  of  such  rivers  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the current year;
- (c) if so, the outcome thereof, State-wise and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  received  complaints  against  sugar  mills  and  other operational factories for water pollution of rivers during the said period;
- (e) if so, the details thereof, along with the action taken on such complaints, State-wise; and
- (f) the other corrective steps taken by the Government to keep the pollution level of rivers within the prescribed norms/ criteria ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR  ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

(a) Primary Water Quality Criteria are based on the concept of 'Designated Best Use', according to which water bodies are classified into five categories, namely, Drinking Water Source without conventional treatment but after disinfection;  Outdoor bathing (organised); Drinking water source after conventional treatment and disinfection; Propagation of Wildlife and Fisheries; and Irrigation, industrial cooling, controlled waste disposal, based on criteria including, inter alia , total Coliforms, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), etc.

(b) and (c) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality of 445 rivers across the country and has made long term assessment of water quality of rivers with respect to BOD, the indicator of organic pollution. As an outcome of this assessment, published in

2015, 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers have been identified. The State-wise number of stretches include 49 in Maharashtra, 28 in Assam, 21 in Madhya Pradesh, 20 in Gujarat, 17 in West Bengal, 15 in Karnataka, 13 in Kerala, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Manipur, 12 in Odisha, 10 in Meghalaya, 9 in Jammu & Kashmir, 8 in Goa, 8 in Himachal Pradesh, 8 in Jharkhand, 8 in Rajasthan, 7 in Tamil Nadu, 7 in Telangana, 6 in Andhra Pradesh, 5 in Bihar, 5 in Chhattisgarh, 5 in Sikkim, 5 in Uttarakhand,  3 in Nagaland, 2 in Haryana, 2 in Punjab, 2 in Tripura, 1 in Daman & Diu and 1 in Delhi.

(d) and (e) CPCB has received 28 complaints/ references pertaining to distilleries, pulp & paper, sugar, textile, dairy, slaughter house and others during the last three years out of which  7  pertain  to  the  sugar  industries.  The  complaints  were  sent  to  respective  State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and/ or Zonal offices of CPCB. Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 were issued to Nagar Palikas of Hathras, Aligarh, Sasni  and  Khalilabad  of  Uttar  Pradesh;  Gorakhpur Industrial  Development  Authority;  M/s ITC Paper Mill, Bhadrachalam, Telangana; M/s Mohit Paper Mills, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh; M/s.  Bajaj  Hindustan  Ltd.,  Basti,  Uttar  Pradesh,  besides  Show  Cause  notice  to  M/s. Balrampur  Chini  Mills  Ltd.,  Balrampur,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Closure  directions  to  M/s Balrampur  Chini  Mill,  Gonda  and  M/s  Balrampur  Chini  Mill,  Balrampur  for  noncompliance.

(f) This  Ministry  has  formulated  and  notified  standards  for  sugar  industry,  which  are being enforced by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees  (PCCs)  through  consent  mechanism  and  regular  monitoring.  Complaints received  are  attended  to  by  the  SPCBs/PCCs  and  appropriate  directions  are  issued  to  the industries concerned. Other steps taken by the Government for controlling pollution in rivers include the following:-

- i. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality;
- ii. Issuance  of  directions  under  Section  5  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  to industries and Municipal Corporations regarding treatment and utilization of effluent for restoration of water quality of river;
- iii. Issuance  of  directions  under  Section  18(1)(b)  of  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of Pollution) Act, 1974 to SPCBs/ PCCs regarding treatment and utilization of sewage;
- iv. Preparation  of  action  plan  for  sewage  treatment  and  restoration  of  water  quality  by State Governments;
- v. 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, awareness and community participation, electric/improved wood crematoria and river front development, etc.
- vi. Installation of Online Effluent Monitoring System by industries to check the discharge of effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies;

****

*****