Lok Sabha Question No. 2713 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Pollution in Yamuna River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2713

ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## POLLUTION IN YAMUNA RIVER

## 2713 SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that river Yamuna is most polluted in National Capital Region (NCR);
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government for the cleanliness of river Yamuna;
- (d) whether any directions/guidelines issued to the Government of Delhi on this issue; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  &  (b) As  informed  by  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB),  water  quality  of  River Yamuna is monitored by CPCB under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with State Polllution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh at 33 locations.

The analysis of water quality data of river Yamuna based on concentration of BOD during 20192021 revealed that highest concentration of BOD is observed in river Yamuna in Delhi during all the three  years  (i.e.,  from  2019-  2021)  followed  by  downstream  Uttar  Pradesh  locations.  Maximum concentration observed is 114 mg/L during 2020. The details are as under:

| State                                              | year                                               | BOD    | BOD    |
|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|
|                                                    |                                                    | Min    | Max    |
| Primary Water Quality Criteria for Outdoor Bathing | Primary Water Quality Criteria for Outdoor Bathing | <3mg/L | <3mg/L |
| HARYANA                                            | 2019                                               | 1.0    | 14.0   |
| HARYANA                                            | 2020                                               | 1.0    | 9.1    |
| HARYANA                                            | 2021                                               | 1.2    | 21.0   |
| DELHI                                              | 2019                                               | 1.7    | 63.0   |
| DELHI                                              | 2020                                               | 1.4    | 114.0  |
| DELHI                                              | 2021                                               | 2.5    | 83.0   |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                      | 2019                                               | 1.9    | 47.0   |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                      | 2020                                               | 1.8    | 59.0   |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                      | 2021                                               | 1.9    | 36.0   |

River Yamuna is polluted mainly due to discharge of treated/partially treated municipal sewage, industrial  effluents.  Apart  from  this,  the  other  factors  impacting  river  pollution  are  improper  solid waste management, ground water abstraction, encroachments in flood plains/ river banks & inadequate environmental flows etc.

As per the data submitted by DPCC, the total sewage generation in Delhi is 3491 MLD, whereas the  total  installed  capacity  of  35  STPs  are  2874  MLD  (82.32%)  with  2714  MLD  being  operational capacity. In addition, there are 13 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) with a total capacity of 212.3 MLD is existing in Delhi to treat industrial wastewater generated from industries.

(c) Action plans for rejuvenation of rivers have been prepared by '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, including river Yamuna.

Presently in Delhi, under Namami Gange Programme, a total of 13 projects have been taken up with a sanctioned cost of Rs.2419 crore to abate the pollution in river Yamuna. These projects are at various  stages  of  implementation.  These  projects  envisage  creation  of  1384.5  MLD  of  sewage treatment  capacities  in  Delhi  to  bridge  the  gap  in  treatment  capacity.  In  addition,  three  projects  for creation of 77 MLD additional treatment capacity and upgradation of 429 MLD existing capacity of STPs  are  also  underway.   Interception  sewer  project  to  intercept  1100  MLD  of  sewer  has  been completed.  Sewer lines have been laid in 725 colonies out of 1799 unauthorised colonies while work in 572 colonies is underway.

Stringent monitoring and regulation of industries and pollution sources is undertaken to assess the compliance status of Grossly Polluting  Industries (GPIs) for enforcing regulatory  framework on the polluting  industries.  Stringent  action  is  taken  by  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)/State Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees against the GPIs discharging into main stem of Ganga River & its tributaries which are non-complying with respect to the prescribed norms.

Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&  CC)  formulates  and  notifies standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants viz. air pollutants and water pollutants from  industries,  operations  or  processes  with  an  aim  to  protect  and  improve  the  quality  of  the environment and abate environmental pollution.

Industry  specific effluent/emission  standards  are  notified  under  Schedule-I:  'Standards  for Emission  or  Discharge  of  Environmental  Pollutants  from  Various Industries'  of  Environment Protection Act, 1986. State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees in States and Union Territories,  respectively  are  adhered  to  ensure  the  compliance  of  these  standards.  So  far,  47 industry specific effluent standards and 63 industry specific emission standards have been notified.

Delhi  Pollution  Control  Committee  (DPCC)  regulates  industrial  pollution  through  consent mechanism. DPCC has notified stricter norms for sewage treatment in Delhi.

NMCG has been organizing regular Yamuna Ghat cleaning campaigns on certain Saturdays  of every month for cleaning the seven Ghats in Yamuna in association with different volunteering civil society groups, citizens and other stake holders.

(d) & (e) Directions were issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) dated 16.08.2018 under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 against sub-optimal functioning of CETPs as well as reutilization of treated waste water in the State of Delhi. In addition, as reported by CPCB, directions were also issued to Delhi Jal Board (DJB) dated 19.02.2019 under the said Act against non-complying sewage treatment plants operating in Delhi.

Central Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti has been  monitoring  the  progress  in  implementation  of  Action  Plan  for  the  State  of  Delhi  including sewerage  projects  for  abatement  of  pollution  in  the  river  Yamuna  in  a  time  bound  manner.  The Committee  has  also  directed  the  NCT  of  Delhi  for  completing  their  initiatives  without  any  further delay.

The State Government of Delhi has been directed to ensure compliance of the existing STPs and CETPs and to take strict action against the non-complying industries. Time bound action plan needs to be implemented to bridge the gap in solid waste management in the State.

The directions/guidelines issued by CPCB in recent years, for prevention & control of pollution in river Yamuna are given at Annexure.

## ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (d) & (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2713  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK SABHA  ON  22.12.2022  REGARDING  'POLLUTION  IN YAMUNA RIVER'.

- 1) On 23.12.2021, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 regarding industrial Ammonical discharge in to river Yamuna to DPCC and HSPCB.
- 2) On 06.12.2021, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 in the matter of control of pollution in river Yamuna to DPCC, HSPCB and UPPCB.
- 3) On 24.09.2021, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1986 for ensuring 100% collection and treatment of domestic and industrial waste waters generated in the catchment of Shahdara drain to DPCC.
- 4) On 11.03.2021, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for installation & connectivity of Online continuous effluent monitoring systems (OCEMS) by GPIs to HSPCB, DPCC & UPPCB.
- 5) On 15.02.2021, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for wider use of Mobile based application on STP monitoring to all SPCB/ PCCs.
- 6) On 26.11.2020, CPCB issued directions under Section 18 (1) b of the Water (Prevention and Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974,  regarding  non-compliance  of  CETPs  in  Delhi,  to  Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
- 7) On 26.11.2020, CPCB issued directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to Delhi Jal Board for ensuring 100% collection and treatment of domestic wastewater generated in the region of NCT of Delhi.
- 8) CPCB  issued  indicative  guidelines  for  restoration  of  water  bodies  as guidance  to  the Stakeholders  for  ensuring  restoration/rejuvenation  of  water  bodies,  including  small  rivers flowing through district headquarters, cities and industrial areas in regard to Hon'ble NGT vide order dated 10.5.2019 in O. A. No 325 of 2015.
- 9) CPCB  issued  'Revised  Guidelines  for  idol  immersion  to  SPCBs/  PCCs  vide  letter  dated 12.05.2020, effective from 01.01.2021.
- 10) Apart from above, regarding industrial ammonical discharge in to river Yamuna, CPCB issued direction to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) under section 18(1)(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. DPCC directed to issue appropriate directions to the GPIs generating effluent containing high Ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrate to submit time bound action plan to curtail generation of ammonical nitrogen, nitrate and phosphate in their effluent through adoption of cleaner technology, waste minimization practices and upgradation of ETP system.

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