Lok Sabha Question No. 193 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Norms for Effluent Discharge in Waterbodies
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramya  Haridas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 193.

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Norms for Effluent Discharge in Waterbodies

## 193. MS. RAMYAHARIDAS:

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

- (a) whether National Green Tribunal (NGT) had found faults with the Ministry's 2017 Notification by which new norms for effluent discharge in waterbodies by Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) were laid down?
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken to tackle this problem?
- (c) the details of damage that has already been done to the waterbodies?
- (d) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  some  of  the  recent  amendments  by  the  Ministry  in  the environmental norms have been criticised by environmentalists while some of them have been challenged in the court? and
- (e) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a)  and  (b):  Ministry  of  Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified Standards for Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) on 13.10.2017 vide G.S.R. 1265(E). There was no STP discharge standards prior to 13.10.2017. General Discharge standard as per schedule-VI of Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 was applicable.  However,  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/  Pollution  Control Committees  (PCCs)  prescribes  site  specific  stringent  norms  and  Central  Pollution Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  also  given  direction  to  SPCBs  under  Water  Act  for enforcing stringent norms than the general standard.

The notification was challenged before the Hon'ble National Green Tribunal (NGT),  Principal  Bench,  New  Delhi.  The  NGT  in  the  matter  of  OA  no.  1069  of 2018vide order dated 21.12.2018 stayed notified standards and mentioned that prerevised  standards  shall  prevail  and  constituted  Expert  Committee  for  its  review. Subsequently NGT vide its order dated 30.04.2019 accepted the report of the Expert Committee  with  the  modification  that  the  standards  recommended  for  Mega  and Metropolitan Cities will also apply to rest of the country and the standards will apply not  only  for  new  STPs  but  also  for  existing/under  construction  STPs  without  any delay.  Ministry  has  filed  an  appeal  before  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  against  the final judgment order dated 30.4.2019 of Hon'ble NGT in the matter of OA no. 1069 of 2018.

The Sewage Treatment Plants are monitored for their compliance on regular basis by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). More than 900 monitoring's were done in last 3 years and appropriate action within the provisions of applicable rules has been taken.

- (c): Water quality of water bodies is impacted due to various reasons including discharge from  sewage  treatment  plants.  The  water  quality  of  water  bodies  is  monitored  at 4294  locations  by  CPCB,  SPCBs  and  PCCs.  351  polluted  river  stretches  were identified in 2018 in reference to bathing water criteria (https://cpcb.nic.in/wqm/Primary\_Water\_Quality\_Criteria.pdf).  Action  plan  for 176 priority  stretches  has  been  prepared  by  respective  States  and  UTs  (26  States  &  3 UTs) and is under implementation. The implementation progress is monitored by a Committee chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Various steps taken to tackle problems are annexed as Annexure I.
- (d)  and  (e):  Setting  of  emission  and  discharge  standards  of  environmental  pollutants  is  a continuous  process  and  need  amendment  from  time  to  time  to  address  emerging environmental  issues and  better  alignment  with the polices. The  stakeholder consultations are done for taking into account different views before finalizing the norms. All the proposals of the setting up of new norms and revision of the existing norms are assessed based on techno-economic feasibility, availability of technology and  risk  acceptability.  However,  sometimes  stakeholders  approach  various  forums including  court for voicing  their  concerns/opinions  which  is  sign  of  healthy democracy.

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## Steps taken for control of pollution in Water Bodies: -

- (i) The Central & State Pollution Control Board is implementing the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to restore water quality of water bodies.
- (ii) Regulation of industrial Pollution is implemented through various provisions of Water (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  under  consent  mechanism  by  the respective  State  Pollution  Control  Board  (SPCB)  and  Pollution  Control  Committee (PCC).
- (iii) CPCB has made a comprehensive program on water pollution for controlling  point sources by developing industry specific standards and General standards for discharge of Environmental pollutants - Effluents (Part A) and waste water generation standards (Part  B)  under  schedule-VI  of  Environment  (Protection)  Rules,  1986  so  that  all  the industrial effluents are treated before discharging.
- (iv) In  October,  2015,  CPCB  issued  Directions  under  Section  5  of  The  Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 regarding 'Treatment and Utilization of Sewage for Restoration of Water Quality of River' to Municipal Corporations of 46 Metropolitan cities and 20 State Capitals.
- (v) In  April,  2015,  CPCB  issued  Directions  under  Section18  (1)  (b)  of  the  Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to SPCBs/PCCs regarding treatment & utilization of sewage.
- (vi) CPCB issued Directions under Section18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  on  13.8.2019  regarding  non-compliance  status  of  Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) to SPCBs/PCCs.
- (vii) On 7 th August, 2020 CPCB has issued directions under Section18 (1) (b) of the Water (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  to  SPCBs/PCCs  for  installation  of Online  Continuous  Monitoring  System  (OCEMS)  for  self-surveillance  of  Sewage Treatment plants.
- (viii) Online  Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring  Systems  (OCEMS)  are  installed  by  the industrial units in the country through directives issued by CPCB for getting real time information on the effluent quality and non-complying unit were identified for followup inspections and actions.
- (ix) Indicative Guidelines for restoration of water bodies including rivers were issued by CPCB  as  a  guidance  to  the  Stakeholders  for  ensuring  restoration/  rejuvenation  of water bodies.
- (x) Guidelines for immersion of Idols in Water Bodies formulated during 2010 has been revised  and  the  ' Revised Guidelines on Idol Immersion in Water Bodies 'are  being implemented in the country with effect from January 01 st , 2021.
- (xi) CPCB organized a workshop on 30.01.2020 on Restoration of Polluted Water Bodies involving all the stakeholders.
- (xii) CPCB has also filed reports to Hon'ble NGTs, High Courts and Supreme Courts in the matters pertaining to Surface water pollution as and when required.
- (xiii) Under  AMRUT and  Repair,  Renovation  and  Restoration  (RRR)  schemes,  Govt.  of India is supporting States on cost sharing basis for development of infrastructure for sewage management and rejuvenating polluted rivers.

## Annexure-I

- (xiv) Various programmes like NLCP, NRCP (later on merged into an integrated scheme ofNational Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA)have been launched by Government of India for restoration of water bodies.
- (xv) Namame  Ganga  (National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga)  project  has  strengthen  the infrastructure  and  other  measures  for  rejuvenation  of  River  Ganga  Basin  and improvement of sewage treatment infrastructures for cities in Ganga Basin.

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