Lok Sabha Question No. 2764 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-05
Subject: Pollution in Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Devji Mansingram Patel, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Balak Nath, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2764

ANSWERED ON 05.08 .2021

## POLLUTION IN RIVERS

†2764.

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL SHRI BALAK NATH

SHRI SUMEDHANAND SARASWATI SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether rivers are getting polluted on a large scale as untreated sewage and effluents and hotels ar e discharged directly into rivers including small rivers and rivulets;
- (b) if so, the total number of polluted rivulets bawadis and small rivers polluted in Rajasth
- (c) the names of the schemes being implemented by the Government to save the said rive rs from pollution; and
- (d) the details of the said schemes along with the names of the small rivers and rivulets included in the said schemes?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES ( SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL )

(a) to (d) Rivers in the country are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated or part sewage  from  cities/towns  and  industrial  effluents  in  their  respective  catchments,  poor maintenance of sewage/effluent treatment plant s, lack of dilution, dumping of solid waste on river and other non - point sources of pollution. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have compo problems.  As  per  the  report  published  by  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  Marc , sewage generation from urban areas in the country is estimated at 72,368 million litres pe against  which  sewage  treatment  capacity  of  31,841  MLD  was  available.  This  gap  between generation and treatment remains a major point source for inc ease in pollution of rivers.

CPCB  in  association  with  Pollution  Control  Boards/Committees  in  different  State Territories (UTs), have been monitoring water quality of rivers and other water bodies acro through a network of monito r ng stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. B on water quality monitoring results, pollution assessment of rivers has been carried out b time to time. As per the last report published by CPCB in September 2018, 351 p olluted stretches were identified  on  323  rivers  based  on  monitoring  results  in  terms  of  Bio - chemical  Oxygen  Demand,  an indicator of organic pollution, including the following two river stretches in Rajasthan:

| River   | Polluted River Stretches                   | Priority   | BOD level (mg/l)   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------|------------|--------------------|
| Banas   | Along Bisalpur Dam, Swaroopganj, Newta Dam | III        | 13.2               |
| Chambal | Sawai Madhopur to Kota                     | V          | 3.2 -4.8           |

Cleaning/rejuvenation of rivers is an ongoing activity. It is the responsibility of the State local bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescrib discharging into river and other water bodies, coastal waters or land to preven t and control of pollution therein.  For  conservation  of  rivers,  this  Ministry  has  been  supplementing  efforts  of  the providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretch country throu gh the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for rivers in Ganga basin and the C Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  for  other  rivers.  Further,  p effective  rejuvenation  of  small  rivers  has  been  accorded  under  the Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

Proposals for pollution abatement works in the towns along polluted river stretches from  the  States/UTs  from  time  to  time  for  consideration  under  NRCP  and  sanctioned  based n  their prioritization, conformity with NRCP guidelines, availability of plan funds, etc. NRCP has so far covered polluted stretches on 34 rivers in 77 towns spread over 16 States in the country with the pr cost of Rs.5965.90 crore, and int er - alia, a sewage treatment capacity of 2522.03 MLD has been cre Under the Namami Gange programme, a total of 346 projects, including 158 projects for sewage of 4948 MLD and sewer network of 5213 kms., have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.30 235 crore. In Rajasthan, a project for conservation of river Chambal at Kota has been sanctioned at a cos crore under the Namami Gange. The project comprises of 2 sewage treatment plants (STPs) of 3 6 mld capacity, laying of 146 kms . of sewer lines, 6 lifting stations and tapping of 22 nallahs. cost is to be shared on 70:30 ratio between the Central and State Governments. A Central 68.71 crore has been released to the State Government and an expenditure of Rs . 78.13 crore has been incurred so far on the project. State/UT - wise details of rivers covered under NRCP, Namami Gange an Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase -II are given at Annexure .

In addition, sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like Atal Mi s ion 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 & C Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units ar e required to install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and t effluents to comply with stipulated environmental standards before discharging into river an Accordingly,  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB),  State  Pollution  Control Boards  (SPCBs)  and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitor industries with respect to effluent discharge s take action for non - compliance under provisions of these Acts.

Besides, in compliance of the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application No.673/2018 regarding rejuvenation of polluted river stretches in the country, States/UTs a implement approved action plans for restoration of the polluted stretches in their jurisdic by CPCB and pub lished in their report of 2018, within the stipulated timelines. As per the o regular review on implementation of action plans is undertaken in the States/UTs and also at

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Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †2764 to be answered 05.08. 2021 onregarding 'Pollution in Rivers' .

## State - wise details of rivers covered under National River Conservation Plan (excluding Ganga and its tributaries)

|   S. No. | State           | Rivers covered                                      |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh  | Godavari                                            |
|        2 | Telangana       | Godavari & Musi                                     |
|        3 | Jammu & Kashmir | Devika & Tawi                                       |
|        4 | Jharkhand       | Subarnarekha                                        |
|        5 | Gujarat         | Sabarmati, Mindola & Tapi                           |
|        6 | Goa             | Mandovi                                             |
|        7 | Karnataka       | Tunga, Bhadra, Tungabhadra, Cauvery & Pennar        |
|        8 | Maharashtra     | Godavari, Tapi, Krishna, Panchganga & Mula Mutha.   |
|        9 | Madhya Pradesh  | Wainganga, Narmada & Tapti.                         |
|       10 | Manipur         | Nambul                                              |
|       11 | Odisha          | Brahmini, Mahanadi                                  |
|       12 | Punjab          | Ghaggar, Beas& Satluj                               |
|       13 | Tamil Nadu      | Adyar, Cooum, Vaigai, Vennar, Cauvery & Tamrabarani |
|       14 | Kerala          | Pamba                                               |
|       15 | Sikkim          | Rani Chu                                            |
|       16 | Nagaland        | Diphu and Dhansiri                                  |

## State - wise details of rivers covered under Namami Gange programme & GAP Phase - II (Ganga and its tributaries)

|   Sl. No. | State             | Rivers covered                                                |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Uttarakhand       | Ganga, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, Mandakini, Kosi, Rispana Bindal |
|         2 | Uttar Pradesh     | Ganga, Yamuna, Kali, Gomti, Saryu, Ram Ganga                  |
|         3 | Bihar             | Ganga, Burhi Gandak, Kharkari                                 |
|         4 | Jharkhand         | Ganga, Damodar                                                |
|         5 | West Bengal       | Ganga, Damodar, Banka, Mahananda                              |
|         6 | Delhi             | Yamuna                                                        |
|         7 | Haryana           | Yamuna                                                        |
|         8 | Himanchal Pradesh | Yamuna                                                        |
|         9 | Madhya Pradesh    | Beehar,Betwa, Khan, Kshipra,Mandakini, Chambal                |
|        10 | Rajasthan         | Chambal                                                       |

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