Lok Sabha Question No. 448 (STARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Pollution in Rivers and Lakes
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Sumedhanand Saraswati, Ranjeeta Koli

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.448

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.04.2023

## Pollution in Rivers and Lakes

## 448.      SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI: SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  the  details  of  the  rivers  and  lakes  facing  pollution problem across the country including Rajasthan;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  working  on  any  plan  to  curb  pollution  and  rejuvenate these rivers and lakes;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the State-wise details of the funds sanctioned, allocated and utilised by the Government for the said purpose during the last three years and the current year in the country including Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

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

***

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (e)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred Question  No.  448  to  be  answered  on  Monday,  the  3 rd April,  2023on 'Pollution  in  Rivers  and  Lakes  '  by  Shri  Sumedhanand  Saraswati, Shrimati Ranjeeta Koli

## (a) & (b)

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality of aquatic resources at 4484 locations  including  2108  monitoring  locations  on  rivers  and  437  monitoring  locations  on lakes under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). Accordingly, in year 2022, by analysis of water quality of 603 rivers for the years 2019 and 2021, CPCB has identified 311 polluted river stretches on 279 rivers in the country, on the basis  of  exceedance  of  Bathing  Water  Quality  Criteria  parameter  of  BOD  (exceeding  3 mg/L). Based on the BOD value, the polluted river stretches are categorized in five Priority classes.  State-wise,  priority  wise  distributions  of  identified  polluted  river  stretches  in  year 2022 are provided in Annexure I .

Based on water quality assessment of lakes, ponds & tanks during the year 2021, out of 599 locations monitored, 498 locations were not complying to the Primary Water Quality Criteria for  Outdoor  Bathing.  Status  of  water  quality  of  lakes,  ponds  &  tanks  in  Rajasthan  is  as following:

| State Name   |   No of Locations monitored(Lakes,Ponds &Tanks) |   No of Complying Locations(Lakes,Pon ds &Tanks) |   No of Non- ComplyingLocations (Lakes,Ponds &Tanks) |
|--------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| RAJASTHAN    |                                              20 |                                                3 |                                                   17 |

## (c) to (e)

Cleaning/rejuvenation of rivers and lakes is an ongoing activity. It is the responsibility of the States/UTs and local bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescribed norms before discharging into rivers and other water bodies, coastal waters or land to prevent and control of pollution therein. For conservation of rivers, Ministry of Jal Shakti supplements efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers in the country through the Central Sector  Scheme  of  Namami  Gange  for  rivers  in  Ganga  basin  and  the  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. State/UT wise details of Budget allocated, sanctioned and fund released are provided in Annexure II .

For rejuvenation of polluted river stretches identified by CPCB during the year 2018, action plans  were  prepared  by  four-member  Committee  called  'River  Rejuvenation  Committee'' (RRC) constituted by the respective State Government/ UT Administration, under the overall supervision  and  coordination  of  Principal  Secretary,  Environment  of  the  concerned  State /Union  Territory  for  bringing  all  the  polluted  river  stretches  identified  by  CPCB  fit  for bathing purposes.

Implementation  of  time-bound  action  plans  have  been  assigned  to  State  Government Departments/  UT  Administration  Departments  and  are  responsible  for  rejuvenation  of polluted river stretches identified in the respective State/UT under the overall supervision and coordination  of  Principal  Secretary,  Environment  of  the  concerned  State/Union  Territory. Overall responsibility lies with the Chief Secretary, State Governments/UT Administrations.

Progress  of  implementation  of  action  plans  is  reviewed  by  the  RRC  at  State  Level  and Central  Monitoring  Committee  (CMC)  constituted  under  the  Chairmanship  of  Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti at Central Level.

Further, as per the Provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units are required to install effluent treatment plants  (ETPs)  and  treat  their  effluents  to  comply  with  stipulated  environmental  standards before discharging into rivers and water bodies. Accordingly, CPCB, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitor industries with respect to effluent  discharge  standards  and  take  action  for  non-compliance  under  provisions  of  these Acts.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is currently implementing a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  namely,  National  Plan  for  Conservation  of  Aquatic  Ecosystems (NPCA) for conservation and management of wetlands (include lakes) in the country on  cost  sharing  basis  between  Central  Government  and  respective  State/UT  Governments. The  scheme  covers  various  activities  such  as  interception,  diversion  and  treatment  of wastewater, shoreline protection, lake front development, in-situ cleaning i.e. desilting & deweeding,  storm  water  management,  bioremediation,  pollution  abatement,  catchment  area treatment,  Lake  Beautification,  survey  &  demarcation,  bio-fencing,  fisheries  development, weed  control,  biodiversity  conservation,  education  and  awareness  creation,  community participation, etc. Details of funds released during last three years and CFY under the scheme of NPCA are given in Annexure III .

Further,  MoEF&CC  has  notified  Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2017 under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as regulatory framework for conservation and management of wetlands across country to conserve, manage and maintain the ecological character of the wetlands without restricting the wise use.

*******

Annexure I State-wise & Priority wise number of Polluted River Stretches identified during the year 2022

| S No.       | STATE/UNION TERRITORY                | PRIORITY CLASS   | PRIORITY CLASS   | PRIORITY CLASS   | PRIORITY CLASS   | PRIORITY CLASS   | TOTAL No. of PRS   |
|-------------|--------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|--------------------|
| S No.       | STATE/UNION TERRITORY                | I                | II               | III              | IV               | V                | TOTAL No. of PRS   |
| 1.          | ANDHRA PRADESH                       | 1                |                  |                  | 1                | 1                | 3                  |
| 2.          | ASSAM                                | 1                |                  |                  |                  | 9                | 10                 |
| 3.          | BIHAR                                |                  | 1                | 2                | 7                | 8                | 18                 |
| 4.          | CHHATTISGARH                         |                  | 1                |                  | 2                | 3                | 6                  |
| 5.          | DAMANAND DIU, DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI |                  |                  | 1                |                  |                  | 1                  |
| 6.          | DELHI                                | 1                |                  |                  |                  |                  | 1                  |
| 7.          | GOA                                  |                  |                  |                  | 1                | 5                | 6                  |
| 8.          | GUJARAT                              | 6                | 1                | 1                | 1                | 4                | 13                 |
| 9.          | HARYANA                              | 2                | 1                |                  |                  |                  | 3                  |
| 10.         | HIMACHAL PRADESH                     | 4                |                  |                  | 1                | 4                | 9                  |
| 11.         | JAMMU &KASHMIR                       |                  |                  | 2                | 4                | 2                | 8                  |
| 12.         | JHARKHAND                            |                  |                  | 1                | 2                | 6                | 9                  |
| 13.         | KARNATAKA                            | 3                |                  |                  | 3                | 11               | 17                 |
| 14.         | KERALA                               |                  |                  | 1                | 2                | 15               | 18                 |
| 15.         | MADHYA PRADESH                       | 2                |                  | 1                | 5                | 11               | 19                 |
| 16.         | MAHARASHTRA                          | 4                | 5                | 18               | 17               | 11               | 55                 |
| 17.         | MANIPUR                              |                  |                  |                  | 2                | 11               | 13                 |
| 18.         | MEGHALAYA                            | 2                |                  |                  | 1                | 4                | 7                  |
| 19.         | MIZORAM                              |                  |                  |                  | 2                | 1                | 3                  |
| 20.         | NAGALAND                             |                  |                  | 1                |                  | 3                | 4                  |
| 21.         | ODISHA                               | 1                |                  |                  | 3                | 3                | 7                  |
| 22.         | PUDUCHERRY                           |                  | 1                | 1                | 1                |                  | 3                  |
| 23.         | PUNJAB                               | 3                |                  |                  |                  | 2                | 5                  |
| 24.         | RAJASTHAN                            | 2                |                  | 1                | 4                | 7                | 14                 |
| 25.         | TAMILNADU                            | 4                | 1                | 1                | 1                | 3                | 10                 |
| 26.         | TELANGANA                            | 1                | 1                | 2                |                  | 5                | 9                  |
| 27.         | TRIPURA                              |                  |                  |                  |                  | 1                | 1                  |
| 28.         | UTTAR PRADESH                        | 6                |                  | 1                | 2                | 8                | 17                 |
| 29.         | UTTARAKHAND                          | 2                | 2                | 4                |                  | 1                | 9                  |
| 30.         | WEST BENGAL                          | 1                | 2                | 1                | 3                | 6                | 13                 |
| GRAND TOTAL | GRAND TOTAL                          | 46               | 16               | 39               | 65               | 145              | 311                |

Annexure - II State/UT wise detail of Budget allocated, sanctioned and fund released under NRCP

| S. N o.           | State             |                                                                                                                                                                                         | Funds Released (Rs.in crore)   | Funds Released (Rs.in crore)   | Funds Released (Rs.in crore)   | Funds Released (Rs.in crore)   |
|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| S. N o.           | State             |                                                                                                                                                                                         | 2019-20                        | 2020-21                        | 2021-22                        | 2022- 23*                      |
| Budget Allocation | Budget Allocation | Budget Allocation                                                                                                                                                                       | 153.00                         | 100.00                         | 217.68                         | 300.00                         |
| 1.                | Maharash tra      | Pollution Abatement of river Mula Mutha at Pune                                                                                                                                         | 96.89                          |                                |                                | 63.00                          |
| 2.                | Gujarat           | Pollution Abatement of river Tapiat Surat                                                                                                                                               |                                | 27.26                          | 100.00                         | 91.00                          |
| 3.                | Gujarat           | Pollution Abatement of river Sabarmati at Ahmedabad                                                                                                                                     |                                |                                | 17.45                          | 0                              |
| 4.                | Jammu & Kashmir   | Pollution Abatement of rivers Devika &Tawi at Udhampur                                                                                                                                  |                                | 20.00                          | 20.00                          | 24.665                         |
| 5.                | Manipur           | Pollution Abatement of river Nambul at Imphal                                                                                                                                           | 15.00                          | 20.00                          | 20.00                          | 10.00                          |
| 6.                | Nagaland          | Pollution Abatement of river Diphu & Dhansiri at Dimapur                                                                                                                                | 10.00                          | 5.13                           | 14.87                          | 0                              |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Project for upgradation and rehabilitation work of river Rani Chu in Zone-I at Gangtok,                                                                                                 |                                |                                | 12.61                          | 21.74                          |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Pollution Abatement of river Rani Chu at Gangtok Zone-III                                                                                                                               | 10.00                          | 20.00                          | 10.00                          | 3.75                           |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Pollution Abatement of river Rani Chu at Gangtok Zone-II                                                                                                                                |                                |                                | 1.0685                         | 1.0685                         |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Pollution abatement of River Rangit, Sikkim                                                                                                                                             |                                |                                |                                | 1.25                           |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Pollution abatement of River Rani Chu Mangan town, Sikkim                                                                                                                               |                                |                                |                                | 2.50                           |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Project Management Consultancy for MulaMutha project                                                                                                                                    | 4.77                           | 6.89                           | 5.22                           | 2.10                           |
| 7                 | Sikkim            | Project of "Assessment of ecological status of the select 6 Indian rivers (namely Cauvery, Godavari, Periyar, Mahanadi, Narmada & Barak River)" DPR appraisal fees, General works, etc. | --                             | 0.59                           | 0.90                           | 7.40                           |
|                   | TOTAL:            |                                                                                                                                                                                         | 136.66                         | 99.87                          | 202.118 5                      | 228.473 5                      |

Annexure-III Details of funds released during last three years and CFY under the scheme of NPCA (Amount in Rs Crores)

| S. No.   | State             | 2019-20   | 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2022-23   |
|----------|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1        | Arunachal Pradesh | 1.21      | -         | -         | -         |
| 2        | Bihar             | 0.79      | -         | -         | -         |
| 3        | Gujarat           | 1.52      | -         | 3.00      | -         |
| 4        | Haryana           | 0.49      | -         | -         | -         |
| 5        | H.P.              | 0.12      | -         | -         | -         |
| 6        | Jammu& Kashmir    | 1.68      | -         | -         | -         |
| 7        | Karnataka         | -         | -         | -         | -         |
| 8        | Kerala            | -         | -         | -         | -         |
| 9        | Madhya Pradesh    | 8.41      | 7.00      | 5.4097    | -         |
| 10.      | Manipur           | -         | 7.92      | 18.00211  | -         |
| 11.      | Mizoram           | 1.92      | 2.78      | 4.16877   | -         |
| 12.      | Maharashtra       | 3.90      | 8.10      | 3.00      | -         |
| 13.      | Nagaland          | 5.62      | 0.50      | -         | -         |
| 14.      | Odisha            | 4.10      | 5.38      | 1.65      | -         |
| 15.      | Puducherry        | 0.50      | -         | -         | -         |
| 16.      | Punjab            | -         | -         | -         | -         |
| 17.      | Rajasthan         | -         | -         | -         | -         |
| 18.      | Sikkim            | 2.60      | -         | 0.40408   | 0.8725    |
| 19.      | Tamil Nadu        | 1.37      | -         | -         | -         |
| 19.      | Tripura           | 3.13      | -         | -         | -         |
| 20.      | Uttar Pradesh     | 2.93      | 0.95      | 0.36534   | -         |
| 21       | West Bengal       | 4.29      | -         | -         | 1.49925   |
|          | Total             | 44.58     | 32.63     | 36.00     | 2.37175   |