Lok Sabha Question No. 3861 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-18
Subject: Discharge of Effluents in River Satluj
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Hanuman Beniwal

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3861 ANSWERED ON 1 8.03 .2021

## DISCHARGE OF EFFLUEN TS IN RIVER SATLUJ

## †3861. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the polluted waste water effluents and pollutants are being dischanged in rive tributaries which is then being released into canals of Rajasthan through Harike barrage;

(b)if so, whether the Government is contemplating to formulate any concrete scheme to chec action against the industrial units and urban authorities in Punjab responsible for dischar effluents into the canals of Rajasthan; and

(c)if so, the details thereof along with the time by which action is to be taken against indu

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  association  with  the  State  Pollution  Cont (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) is regularly monitoring water quality of river water bodies in the country through a network of monit oring stations under the National Water Qual Monitoring  Programme.  As  the  CPCB  report  of  September,  2018,  351  polluted  river  stretc identified  on  323  rivers  based  on  monitoring  results  in  terms  of  Bio - chemical  Oxygen  Demand,  an indicator of orga nic pollution. These include one polluted river stretch each on Satluj and B Punjab, which feed to the canals in Rajasthan originating from Harike Barrage.

A large number of rivers in the country, including identified stretches of rivers Sat uj and Beas in Punjab, are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage from c industrial  effluents  in  their  respective  catchments,  poor  operation  and  maintenance  of  s treatment plants, lack of dilu tion and other non - point sources of pollution.

(b) & (c)It is the responsibility of the States/Union Territories (UTs) and local bodies to of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescribed norms before discharging into rivers, bodies or land to prevent and control of pollution therein. Discharge of industrial effluents is mon and the respective SPCBs/PCCs through the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 19 Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Poll ution)  Act,  1974.  The  Central  Government  has  notified  Gen Discharge  Standards  and  also  industry  specific  effluent  discharge  standards  under  the (Protection) Rules, 1986 for prevention and control of pollution in water bodies which are red to be complied  with  by  the  industrial  units.  CPCB  has  issued  directions  from  time  to  time  to  t SPCBs  for  management  of  municipal  and  industrial  waste  waters  discharging  to  river  Satl tributaries to prevent contamination of canals in Rajasthan.

Besides, in compliance of the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Applic No.673/2018 regarding polluted river stretches in the country, States/UTs are required to im plans for restoration of the said stretches in their jurisdiction within the stipulated timelines. A orders of NGT, regular review is undertaken in the States/UTs and also at Central level. No.101/2014, NGT has constituted Monitoring Committees for preparation of action plans for rejuvenation of river Satluj and review of their implementation.

River cleaning is a continuous process. This Ministry, through the Centrally Sponsored National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs in of  pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  rivers  (e xcluding  river  Ganga  and  its  tributaries)  by  prov technical and financial assistance. For conservation of rivers Satluj and Beas, pollution ab were sanctioned in 14 towns in Punjab under NRCP at a cost of Rs.717.32 crores, and sewage eatment capacity of 648.20 million litres per day created in these towns.

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