Lok Sabha Question No. 740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-21
Subject: Pollution in Bharathapuzha River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Vellalath Kochukrishnan Nair. Sreekandan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 740

## ANSWERED ON 21.07.2022

## POLLUTION IN BHARATHAPUZHA RIVER

## 740 SHRI V.K.SREEKANDAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the condition of river Bharathapuzha in the State of Kerala is very pathetic  as  it  is  highly  polluted  and  needs  restoration  and  rejuvenation  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether it is a policy of the Government to set up independent statutory authorities for the rejuvenation and restoration of large rivers in the country;
- (c) if  so,  whether the Government proposes to set up a Bharathapuzha Management Authority, since it is an inter-state river;
- (d) whether the Government has received any representation in this regard; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government thereon?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) As  per  the  last  report  published  by  CPCB  in  September 2018, 351 polluted stretches have been identified on 323 rivers based on monitoring results of 521 rivers in the country in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an indicator of organic pollution. Based on BOD value, CPCB  has  categorized  polluted  stretches  as  Priority-I  (>30  mg/l),  Priority-II  (20-30  mg/l), Priority-III  (10-20  mg/l),  Priority-IV  (6-10  mg/l)  and  Priority-V  (3-6  mg/l).  As  per  this  ibid report,  the  stretch  along  Patambi  town  situated  on  Bharathapuzha  River  in  Kerala  has  been categorized as Priority-IV with a BOD value of 6.6 mg/l.

(b)  &  (c) For  conservation  and  rejuvenation  of  rivers,  this  Ministry  has  been  supplementing efforts of the States/Union Territories (UTs) by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers in the country through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for Ganga and its tributaries, and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. Sewerage infrastructure, setting up of sewage  treatment  plants  (STPs),  interception  &  diversion,  river  front  development,  low  cost sanitation, afforestation, etc  in polluting towns/cities along the rivers are important components of these programs.

As  per  the  information  provided  by  Kerala  Pollution  Control  Board  (KPCB),  the  State Government, in accordance with NGT O.A. No.673/2018, the pollution loads were ascertained and it has been observed that pollution is mainly due to domestic effluents through storm water drains. Action plan was prepared by various State Government departments for rejuvenating the River  Bharathapuzha,  the  same  was  approved  by  CPCB  and  implemented.  The  action  plan comprises of activities such as establishment and modernization of municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment  plant,  material  collection  facility,  resource  recovery  facility,  door  to  door  collection and  transportation  of  MSW,  management  of  municipal  plastics,  hazardous,  biomedical  and electronic  waste,  awareness  programme  for  sections  of  public,  monitoring  of  river  quality  by sampling, Green protocol implementation in all offices institution and public function are fast progressing. Installing household and community level solid waste management units, primary sewage treatment plant and septage treatment plant, installation of modern slaughter house and rendering plant, construction of sanitary plants in public place are also progressing. The progress on  the  implementation  of  action  plan  is  being  monitored  and  as  per  the  analysis  reports, Bharathapuzha is constantly achieving bathing quality standards (BOD<3 mg/l, FC<500 mg/l).

In February, 2021, a request for setting up of Bharathapuzha Management Authority was received from the Friends of Bharathapuzha (FoB), a Society for Restoration of River Nila. The same was referred for necessary action by this Ministry to Government of Kerala in March, 2021.  In addition, a similar request was recently received from Shri V. K. Sreekandan, Hon'ble

(d) & (e) Member of Parliament, Kerala in July , 2022.