Lok Sabha Question No. 3930 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-12
Subject: Release of Polluted Water into Harike Barrage
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3930

## ANSWERED ON 12 .12 .2019

## RELEASE OF POLLUTED WATER INTO HARIKE BA RRAGE

## 3930. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Union Government is aware that Rajasthan filed a complaint on 25.05.2010 wi Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to initiate action as per the law against the polluted wat d at Harike Barrage from municipal sewage and industrial effluent of number of cities/ towns of Pu

(b) if so, the reasons for release of polluted water into Harike Barrage more than 9 years a of Rajasthan filed complaint with CPCB;

(c )  the  results  of  joint  monitoring  conducted  with  CPCB  and  Rajasthan  Water  Resources  De during July, 2017;

(d)  whether  the  Union  Government  considers  the  total  coliform  and  fecal  coliform  conten Ferozepur feeder as safe levels as per the July 2017 tests;

(e) if not, the reasons for the CPCB not solving the issue yet; and

(f) the details of the officials in - charge of this matter and the appellate authority in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) & (b) As per Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB), Government of  Rajasthan have informed that polluted water is being discharged into the canals of Rajasthan through Harike Barragewhich is main source of water supply for irrigation and drinking purposes.

It is the responsibility of  State Governments and Urban Local Bodies concerned to set for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage being generated and to ensure that untreated sewage does  not  fall  into  rivers  and  water  bodies. As  per  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  and  Wat (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units are required to install ef plants (ETPs) and t reat their effluents to comply with environmental standards before dischar rivers.

(c) & (d) Joint monitoring was conducted by CPCB with Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Rajasthan Water Resources Department during July, 2017 .Water qualit y data of River Sutlej & Rajasthan Canals carried out in July, 2017 are detailed below:

River Sutlej : BOD 1 - 14 mg/l,  DO 4 - 8.9 mg/l, total  coliform 1300 - 3300 MPN/100 ml and fecal coliform 200 - 450 MPN/100 ml

River Beas : BOD 1 mg/l , DO 8.8 mg/l, total  coliform 13000 MPN/100 ml and fecal coli 1700 MPN/100 ml

Rajasthan feeder canal : BOD 2 mg/l,  DO 7.4 mg/l, total  coliform 13000 MPN/100 ml a coliform 1700 MPN/100 ml

Ferozpur  feeder  : BOD  2  mg/l,  DO  7.7  mg/l,  total    coliform  310000  MPN/100  ml,  and  fe coliform 310000 MPN/100 ml

Sutlej after confluence of Budha Nalla: BOD 15 mg/l, DO 3mg/l, total  coliform 24000 ml and fecal coliform 24000 MPN/100 ml.

In Ferozpur feeder, bo th total coliform and fecal coliform counts exceed the limits presc bathing water quality.

(e) & (f) The  CPCB  has  communicated    the  findings/recommendations  of  the  water  quality  stu Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), Rajasthan Pollution Control Board (RSPCB), Rajasthan Water Resources Department and Ministry of Environment & Forests for necessary action.

Further, action taken by Central Government to control pollution in River Sutlej inter - alia include , issuance of  directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of P 1974 on 3 rd May, 2018 in the matter to the State Authorities concerned, issu ance ofshow cause notice under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Ac t, 1986 to Municipal Commissioner, Ludhiana Municipal Corporation  (MCL)  on  5 th April,  2019  for  non - compliance  of  sewage  treatment  plants  installed Ludhiana ,j oint monitoring of River Sutlej and Rajasthan canals starting from October ,2019 once in two months for a period of one year to assess the water quality of river Sutlej & Rajasthan canals.

Hon'ble  National  Green  Tribunal  (NGT),  Principal  Bench,  New  Delhi  has  passed  an  order directing all the States and Union Territories (UTs) to prepare action plans for bringing all the poll river stretches up to the bathing standards. In compliance of Hon'ble NGT order, action plans have been prepared  by  Government  of  Punjab  and  have  been  approved  by  CPCB.  The  plan  is  presently implemented under the overall supervision of Government of Punjab.

Monitoring Committee constituted by Hon'ble NGT  in O.A. No. 101/2014 under the Chairmanship of Justice Jasbir Singh is presently reviewing the implementation of action pl by the Punj ab State periodically.

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