Lok Sabha Question No. 2546 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Pollution of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sarmistha Sethi

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2546 ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## POLLUTION OF RIVERS

## 2546 SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

(a) the details of the States responsible for pollution of rivers in the country;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to deter the States from polluting rivers; and

(c) the details of States that have been fined for polluting rivers during the last five years along with the fine levied, State-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a)  &  (b) Rivers  in  the  country  are  polluted  due  to  discharge  of  untreated  and  partially  treated domestic  sewage  from  cities/towns  and  Urban  Local  Bodies,  industrial  effluents  in  their  respective catchments, problems in operation and maintenance of sewage and industrial effluent treatment plants, lack of dilution and other non-point sources of pollution. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have compounded the problem.

As per the last report published by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in September 2018, 351  polluted  stretches  were  identified  on  323  rivers  based  on  monitoring  results  in  terms  of  Biochemical  Oxygen  Demand  (BOD),  an  indicator  of  organic  pollution.  However,  in  2019  and  2021, CPCB has identified 311 polluted river stretches on 279 rivers. State-wise detail is at Annexure.

Water is a State subject, and it is the responsibility of the States/UTs to ensure the cleanliness and development  of  rivers  within  their  jurisdiction. Cleaning  of  rivers  is  a  continuous  process  and Government  of  India  is  supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  State/UT  Governments  in  addressing  the challenges of pollution of rivers by providing financial and technical assistance. Under the Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  and  NamamiGange  program, pollution  abatement  works  relating  to  interception  &  diversion  of  raw  sewage,  construction  of sewerage system, setting up sewage treatment plant (STP), low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat development, etc are sanctioned on cost sharing basis between the Central and State/UT Governments. So  far,  under  NRCP,  pollution  abatement  works  have  been  implemented  on  36  rivers  in  80  towns, spread  over 16 States in the country at  a  total  sanctioned  cost of  Rs.6248.16  crore,  and  inter-alia,  a sewage treatment capacity of 2745.7 million liters per day (MLD) has been created. Under the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange program, 406 projects, including 176 projects for sewage treatment of  5270  MLD and a sewer network of 5214 km, have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.32898 crore against which sewerage treatment capacity of 1858 MLD has been created so far.

In  addition,  sewerage  infrastructure  is  created  under  other  programs  such  as  Atal  Mission  for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.

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  river  and water  bodies.  Accordingly,  CPCB,  SPCBs  and  PCCs  monitor  industries  with  respect  to  effluent discharge standards and take punitive action for non-compliance under provisions of these Acts.

Besides all the above efforts, in compliance of the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original  Application  No.673/2018  regarding  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches  in  the  country, States/UTs are required to implement approved action plans for restoration of the polluted stretches in their jurisdiction as identified by the CPCB and published in their 2018 report, within the stipulated timelines.  As  per  the  orders  of  the  NGT,  regular  review  of  the  implementation  of  action  plans  is undertaken in the States/UTs and also at the Central level.

(c) Central Government has not levied fine on State Governments for polluting rivers.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2546 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22.12.2022 ON ' POLLUTION OF RIVERS'

State/UT wise polluted river stretches (PRS) details are as below:-

| S No.   | STATE/UNION TERRITORY           |   Total No. of 2018 | in Total No. of PRS in 2022   |
|---------|---------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------------------|
| 1       | ANDHRA PRADESH                  |                   5 | 3                             |
| 2       | ASSAM                           |                  44 | 10                            |
| 3       | BIHAR                           |                   6 | 18                            |
| 4       | CHHATTISGARH                    |                   5 | 6                             |
| 5       | DAMAN &DIU, DADRA& NAGAR HAVELI |                   1 | 1                             |
| 6       | DELHI                           |                   1 | 1                             |
| 7       | GOA                             |                  11 | 6                             |
| 8       | GUJARAT                         |                  20 | 13                            |
| 9       | HARYANA                         |                   2 | 3                             |
| 10      | HIMACHAL PRADESH                |                   7 | 9                             |
| 11      | JAMMU &KASHMIR                  |                   9 | 8                             |
| 12      | JHARKHAND                       |                   7 | 9                             |
| 13      | KARNATAKA                       |                  17 | 17                            |
| 14      | KERALA                          |                  21 | 18                            |
| 15      | MADHYA PRADESH                  |                  22 | 19                            |
| 16      | MAHARASHTRA                     |                  53 | 55                            |
| 17      | MANIPUR                         |                   9 | 13                            |
| 18      | MEGHALAYA                       |                   7 | 7                             |
| 19      | MIZORAM                         |                   9 | 3                             |
| 20      | NAGALAND                        |                   6 | 4                             |
| 21      | ODISHA                          |                  19 | 7                             |
| 22      | PUDUCHERRY                      |                   2 | 3                             |
| 23      | PUNJAB                          |                   4 | 5                             |
| 24      | RAJASTHAN                       |                   2 | 14                            |
| 25      | TAMIL NADU                      |                   6 | 10                            |
| 26      | TELANGANA                       |                   8 | 9                             |
| 27      | TRIPURA                         |                   6 | 1                             |
| 28      | UTTAR PRADESH                   |                  12 | 17                            |
| 29      | UTTARAKHAND                     |                   9 | 9                             |
| 30      | WEST BENGAL                     |                  17 | 13                            |
| 31      | SIKKIM                          |                   4 | -                             |
|         | GRAND TOTAL                     |                 351 | 311                           |

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