Lok Sabha Question No. 1295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: Pollution in Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramapati Ram Tripathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1295

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.06.2019

## Pollution in Rivers

†1295. DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI:

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

- (a) whether steps have been taken by the Government to check pollution in rivers across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the policies and programmes being implemented for the purpose along with the amount allocated in this regard

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) to (c) The Ministry has been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers under the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  on cost sharing basis between the Central & State Governments for taking up various pollution  abatement  works  relating  to  interception  &  diversion  of  raw  sewage, construction of sewerage systems, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat development, etc. Implementation of NRCP works has  led  to  reduction  in  pollution  load  draining  into  rivers  as  well  as  improving  the environmental  &  sanitation  conditions  in  the  towns  in  which  the  programme  have been implemented.

NRCP {excluding Ganga and its tributaries, which are handled by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR) from 01/08/2014 onwards} has so far covered polluted stretches of 34 rivers  in 77 towns spread over 16 States in the country at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 5870.54 crore,  and Central share of Rs. 2378.73 crore has been released to the State Governments for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes. Sewage treatment capacity of 2522.03 mld  (million litres per day)  has  been created so far under the NRCP.

State  Governments,  apart  from  their  own  budgetary  allocation,  are  also accessing  financial  assistance  for  creation  of  sewerage  infrastructure,  including Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STPs),  in  various  cities/towns  under  Atal  Mission  for Rejuvenation  and  Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  and  Smart  Cities  Mission  of Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  as  well  as  Namami  Gange  programme  of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR).

To ensure proper treatment of municipal wastewater before discharge into the rivers, CPCB has issued directions under Section 18 1(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974  in April,  2015  to all  the  State  Pollution  Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in the country for setting up of STPs in their respective States. CPCB has also issued directions in October, 2015 to municipal authorities of 66 metropolitan cities and State capitals under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to ensure proper treatment and disposal of sewage generated for abatement of pollution of rivers.

Further,  to  control  discharge  of  industrial  effluents,  CPCB  and  respective SPCBs/PCCs  monitor  industries  with  respect  to  effluent  discharge  standards  and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To improve the monitoring of compliance,  directions  have  been  issued  by  CPCB  to  specific  industries  to  install online 24x7 effluent monitoring systems. Steps have also been taken by CPCB to promote low  waste concept in grossly  water  polluting  industries,  particularly  those located on the river banks.

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