Lok Sabha Question No. 3238 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Pollution in Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Shrirang Appa Barne, Pritam Gopinath Munde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3238

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## Pollution in Rivers

## 3238. SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT: SHRI SRIRANGA APPA BARNE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE:

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

- (a) whether  the National Green  Tribunal  (NGT)  has  formed  a  Central  Monitoring Committee to prepare and enforce a national plan to make over 350 rivers' stretches across the country pollution free;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  composition  of  the  Central  Monitoring Committee;
- (c) whether  the  tribunal  has  also  directed  the  Ministry  to  consider  a  policy  for  giving environmental awards to outstanding persons (natural  and  juristic)  and  institutions  or states and introducing 'dis-incentives' for non-compliant states;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Union Government in this regard;
- (e) whether the Central Monitoring Committee has prepared any action planfor the safety of water and environment and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the other steps taken by the Union Government to control the pollution in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f) Yes Sir. Hon'ble National Green Tribunal (NGT)  videits order dated 08.04.2019  in  O.A.  No.  673  of  2018  has  constituted  a  'Central  Monitoring  Committee' (CMC) to undertake a national initiative by way of preparation and enforcement of a national plan  to  make  river  stretches  pollution  free.  CMC  is  comprising  a  senior  representative  of NITI  Aayog,  Secretaries  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  Ministry  of  Urban  Development, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Director General, National Mission for

Clean Ganga and Chairman, CPCB as members. Chairman CPCB is the nodal authority for coordination. Hon'ble Tribunal has also directed the Ministry to consider a policy for giving environmental awards to outstanding persons (natural and juristic) and Institutions/States and introducing dis-incentives for non-compliant states.

The CMC has deliberated upon the action needs to be taken, to ensure the compliance of the directions of the Hon'ble Tribunal, in its 1 st meeting held on 11.06.2019. The CMC has also  decided  to  circulate  the  'national  plan  for  making  rivers  pollution  free'drafted  by  the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to all members of CMC to obtain suggestions/views on respective subject matters related to concerned/ NITI Aayog/ NMCG.

The Government has taken various initiatives to check water pollution including pollution in river, which inter-alia include,  formulation and notification of standards for effluents from industries,  operations  or  processes;  enforcing  of  these  standards  by  State  Pollution  Control Boards  (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  through  consent  mechanism  and regular  monitoring;  setting  up  of  monitoring  network  for  assessment  of  water  quality; installation  of  Online  Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring  systems  (OCEMS)  to  check  the discharge of effluent directly into water bodies; promotion of cleaner production processes; installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units; issuance  of  directions  under  Section  5  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  and  under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, etc1986 regarding 'Treatment  and  Utilization  of  Sewage  for  Restoration  of  Water  Quality  of  River'  to Municipal Corporations of 46 Metropolitan cities and 20 State Capitals..

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