Lok Sabha Question No. 847 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-17
Subject: Legislation to keep Ganga River Clean
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: K. Subbarayan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 847 ANSWERED ON 17.09.2020

## LEGISLATION TO KEEP GANGA RIVER CLEAN

## 847. SHRI SUBBARAYAN K.

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the Government is considering a proposal to bring a new legi Ganga river clean and pollution free;

- (b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the funds spent on various plans to keep Ganga river clean and pollution free so far and thereof; and

(d) the reasons to bring a new legislation for the said purpose?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) & (b) A draft Bill, namely; the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Manageme 2019  is  under  consideration  with  the  objective  to  take  measures  for  protection,  manag rejuvenation  of  river  Ganga.  The  d raft  bill  has  several  provisions  for  strengthening  of  inst mechanism, provision for zonal plans, provision for imposition of graded penalties, fines and depending  on  the  severity  of  offence,  creation  of  Ganga  Protection  Corps  for  gene ral urveillance  and prevention of pollution.

(c) Namami Gange was launched in 2014 - 15 as an integrated mission for conservation of river Gang its  tributaries.  National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga (NMC ),  set  up  in  2011,  has  been  the  implementing agency  of  National  Ganga  River  Basin  Authority  and  later  Namami  Gange  mission  under  o supervision of National Ganga Council. Under Namami Gange, the previous ongoing interventio also continued .

Under the Namami Gange, for conservation and pollution abatement of the River Ganga an tributaries,  a  total  of  315  projects  have  been  sanctioned  at  a  cost  of  Rs  28,854  Crore.  T sanctioned for various activities such as sewerage infr astructure, industrial pollution abatement, Ghat Crematoria,  River  Front  Development,  River  Surface  Cleaning,  Institutional  Development,  Bi Conservation, Afforestation, Rural Sanitation etc. Under his programme, till July 2020, 132 projects have been  completed,  including  54  sewerage  infrastructure  projects.  Under  sewerage  projects  66 sewage treatment capacity has been added and 120 MLD treatment capacity rehabilitated. An expe Rs.9370.09 crore has been incurred by NMCG throu gh various implementing agencies since its inceptio 2011- 12.

Due  to  various  pollution  abatement  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  under  the Gange Programme, the water quality assessment of river Ganga in 2019 has shown improved water quality trends as compared to 2014. The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels have improved at 27 locations, Biolo Oxygen  Demand  (BOD)  levels  and  Faecal  coliforms  (FC)  have  improved  at  42  and  21  loca respectively.

As pe r CPCB data for 2019,the observed water quality of river Ganga indicates that Oxygen  which  is  an  indicator  of  river  health  has  been  found  to  be  within  acceptable  limit primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to suppor t the ecosystem of river across all seas and also for almost entire stretch of river Ganga.

(d) While several interventions have been successfully made under Namami Gange and NMCG was notified as an authority under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, a separate legislation is likely to fu strengthen  the  efforts  especially  through  provision  of  graded  penalties  and  for  impro surveillance and prevention of pollution of water.

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