Lok Sabha Question No. 2645 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Namami Gange Programme
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †

## 2645

ANSWERED ON 22.12.2022

## NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME

## †2645 SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT

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

(a) whether the Government is able to check pollution under 'Namami Gange Programme';

(b) if so, whether the Government has taken any step in this regard, so far; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a) Under the Namami Gange Programme, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is carrying out studies for water quality assessment of the River Ganga at 97 locations in 5 main stem States through the respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). River water quality is assessed for primary water quality criteria notified for outdoor bathing.

Based on the water quality assessment by CPCB in 5 Ganga main stem states in 2022 (January to September), the observed water quality indicates that median value of Dissolved Oxygen which is an indicator of river health has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to support the ecosystem of river for almost entire stretch of river Ganga. The median value of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) has been found within the acceptable limits except marginal exceedance (BOD: 3.3 to 4.7 mg/L) in locations/stretches viz. stretch from (i) Kannauj U/s to Kala Kankar, Rai Bareilly & D/s Mirzapur to Tarighat, Ghazipur (except U/s Varanasi, Assighat) in Uttar Pradesh and (ii) at Shitalatala, Palta in West Bengal.

Further,  as  a  result  of  multi  sectoral  interventions,  as  per  comparison  of  median  data  of  water quality parameters viz., DO and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Faecal Coliforms (FC) of year 2014 and 2022 (January to September); DO (Median) has improved at 33 locations, BOD (Median) has improved at 40 locations and FC (Median) has improved at 28 locations, respectively. Improvement in water quality has led to the increased sightings of aquatic species such as Gangetic Dolphins (now seen in wider reaches, where it was not seen earlier), otters, turtles, Hilsa  etc.

(b)  &  (c) National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga  (NMCG)  is  undertaking  various  measures  under  the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) for pollution abatement of river Ganga.

- i. Under NGP, a total of 406 projects have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.32,897.83 crore. Out  of  these,  224  projects  have  been  completed  while  remaining  are  at  different  stages  of implementation. The projects taken up under NGP includes 176 sewerage infrastructure projects with a sanctioned cost of Rs.26,263 Crore for creation & rehabilitation of 5,270 Million Litres per Day  (MLD)  of  Sewage  Treatment  Plant  (STP)  capacity  and  laying  of  5,214  KM  sewerage network.   Out  of  these,  98  sewerage  projects  have  been  completed  resulting  in  creation  & rehabilitation of 1,858 MLD of STP capacity and laying of 4,204 KM sewerage network.
- ii. Around 4507 Ganga Grams have been declared as ODF.
- iii. State Governments are implementing Action Plans drawn by State River Rejuvenation Committees  for  restoration  of  water  quality  of  the  identified  polluted  river  stretches.  The implementation is being monitored regularly at State level by Chief Secretary of the respective State/UT and at Central level by the Central Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- iv. Industries  are  facilitated  through  Charter  based  participatory  approach  for  reduction  in  water consumption, effluent generation and pollution load by adoption of cleaner technologies & waste minimization practices. Stringent monitoring and regulation of industries and pollution sources is being undertaken. Inventorisation of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) along river Ganga with annual inspection of all GPIs is carried out through team from expert institutions of repute.
- v. River surface cleaning activities were also taken up under NamamiGange scheme by deploying of trash skimmer at 11 locations for a period of 3 years. Besides, drains out falling into Ganga have been provided with wire net mesh/ trash rack at their mouths (or 1 km from their outfall) to arrest the direct outfall of solid waste into river.
- vi. The guidelines for Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II, proposes and ensures execution of focused attention to Solid and Liquid waste management along with Ganga Grams. The States are required  to  ensure  that  the  villages  situated  on  the  banks  of  river  Ganga  are  prioritized  for implementation of Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) interventions.
- vii. Construction  of  20  MLD  Common Effluent Treatment Plan (CETP) for Jajmau tannery cluster Kanpur, largest of its type in the country, for pollution abatement in River Ganga to address longstanding challenge posed to river Ganga due to pollution from tannery cluster in Jajmau area is under  progress.  Similarly,  up-gradation  of  other  CETPs  have  been  sanctioned  in  the  tannery clusters of Unnao &  Banther as well as that for 6.25 MLD textile cluster at Mathura is under final stage of commissioning.

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