Lok Sabha Question No. 245 (STARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Heavy Metal Pollutants in Rivers
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No.245 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/3/2021

## HEAVY METAL POLLUTANTS IN RIVERS

*245.       SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY वान और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)      whether  any  study  to  find  out  the  heavy  metal  pollutants  in various  rivers  in  the  country  has  been  conducted  during  COVID-19 pandemic;
- (b)      if  so,  the  details  in  this  regard  and  the  outcome  of  the  same, river-wise;
- (c)      whether  India  and  USA  have  any  bilateral  organization  for conducting such research activities;
- (d)    if so, the details thereof;
- (e)    whether agricultural run off and domestic sewage like nitrate and phosphate  contribution  in  this  regard  has  also  been  studied  during such research activities; and
- (f)     if so, the details and outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी , वान और ौयोगक मंी और पृ वी वान मंी डॉ . हष वधन

(a) to (f):    A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  AS  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *245  FOR  12/03/2021  REGARDING HEAVY METAL POLLUTANTS IN RIVERS

- (a)  &  (b)      A  study  has  been  carried  out  by  Indian  Institute  of Technology  Kanpur  (IIT  Kanpur)  for  heavy  metal  measurement  at Prayagraj in River Ganga during COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison of the analysis during lockdown and pre-COVID days revealed reduction of heavy metal concentration by 50%.

Besides  this  study,  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB) requested  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control Committees (PCCs) to conduct water quality monitoring of rivers. The assessment  was  done  for  Primary  Water  Quality  Criteria  (PWQC) parameters  viz.  pH,  Dissolved  Oxygen  (DO),  Bio  Chemical  Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC).

The  overall  observations  on  19  major  rivers  during  the  prelockdown and lockdown period as per primary water quality criteria for outdoor  bathing  notified by  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is attached at Annexure-I.

- (c)  &  (d)      There  is  no  bilateral  organisation  for  organising  research activities  on  water  quality  measurements  including  heavy  metals  in rivers.  However,  Indo-U.S.  Science  and  Technology  Forum  (IUSSTF), established under an agreement between the Government of India and the United States of America, is an autonomous bilateral organization jointly  funded  by  both  the  Governments  that  promotes  Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation through substantive interaction among governments, academia and industry.

(e) & (f)      The study conducted by IIT-Kanpur at Prayagraj monitored nitrate  and  phosphate  concentrations,  pre-dominantly  derived  from agriculture runoff and domestic sewage. The study showed that these contaminants  maintained  status  quo  during  the  pre-lockdown  and lockdown period.

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