Lok Sabha Question No. 1432 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-10
Subject: Monitoring of River Pollution
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Agatha K. Sangma, Rajmohan Unnithan, T.N. Prathapan, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, P. C. Mohan, Anto  Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1432

ANSWERED ON 10.02.2022

## MONITORING OF RIVER POLLUTION

1432.  KUMARI AGATHA K. SANGMA SHRI ANTO ANTONY SHRI P.C. MOHAN

SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps towards implementing the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with respect to establishing a mechanism for effective monitoring of river pollution and river rejuvenation, namely the National River Rejuvenation Mechanism (NRRM);
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has set a timeline to ensure full compliance and for such a mechanism to be fully functional and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has the details of polluted rivers in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the factors that determine the pollution in rivers;
- (e) the steps taken for mitigation of pollution of the rivers and achievments made so far; and
- (f) the details of rivers in Kerala along with the rate of pollution in them?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) to (c): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) vide its order/judgement dated 22.02.2021, in Original Application No 673 of 2018 has inter-alia directed that Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) may devise an appropriate mechanism for more effective monitoring of steps for control of pollution and rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches in the country.  The  said  mechanism  may  be  called  'National  River  Rejuvenation  Mechanism'  (NRRM)  or  given  any other suitable name.

The NGT's Order/judgement dated 22.02.2021 has not stipulated any time line for constituting the NRRM.

(d)  to  (f): Various  reasons  for  causing  pollution  in  river  is  discharge  of  untreated  sewage,  industrial  effluent, dumping of Municipal/Biomedical waste, runoff from agricultural fields, non-compliance of e-flows, encroachment in  the  flood  plain  zone  etc.  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  identified  351  river  stretches  in  the country as polluted river stretches, based on the information furnished by the State Government/UT Administrations. The categorization of 'Polluted Stretches' have been done based on 'BOD Levels' in the river.

The 'Action Plans' for taking up measures for river rejuvenation including identification/improvement of sewage network,  connecting  of  drains  /  interception  and  diversion  and  setting  up  of  STPs,  identification  of  flood  plain zones, maintaining e-flow were drawn by River Rejuvenation Committees (RRC) under the Chief Secretary of the concerned State Government/UTs Administration.

The plan are monitored at the State and also at Central level through the Central Monitoring Committee. As per the last report published by CPCB in March, 2021, a total existing Sewage Treatment Capacity in the country is 31841 MLD.

Central  government  also  supplement  the  efforts  of  state  govt  for  various  pollution  abatement  work  and  river rejuvenation works through central sector scheme 'Namami Gange Programme' for Ganga basin state and central sponsored scheme under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and sanctioned based on their prioritization, conformity with Programme guidelines, availability of plan funds, etc.

Under Namami Gange Programme, a comprehensive set of interventions such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management,  river  front  management  (ghats  and  crematoria  development),  e-flow,  afforestation,  biodiversity conservation and Public Participation etc. have been taken up for rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries. So far,  a  total  of  363  projects  have  been  taken  up  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  30,841.53  Crore,  out  of  which  177 projects  have  been  completed  and  made  operational.  Majority  of  the  projects  pertain  to  creation  of  sewage infrastructure  as  the  untreated  domestic/industrial  wastewater  is  the  main  reason  for  pollution  in  the  river.  160 sewerage infrastructure projects have been taken up with a cost of Rs. 24,567.82 Crore for creation & rehabilitation of 5,024 MLD of STP capacity and laying of around 5,227 KM sewerage network.  Among these, 75 sewerage projects have been completed resulting in creation & rehabilitation of 1,163 MLD of STP capacity and laying of 3,807 KM sewerage network.

NRCP has so far covered polluted stretches on 34 rivers in 77 towns spread over 16 States in the country with a sanctioned cost of Rs.5961.75 crore, and inter-alia, a sewage treatment capacity of 2677 Million Litres per Day (MLD) has been created.

River Pamba of Kerala is included under NRCP.  In Kerala, 4.50 MLD STP capacity has been created at Pamba town for Pollution abatement of river Pamba with a sanctioned cost of Rs. 18.45 crore.

The detail of polluted river stretches in Kerala as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report of September, 2018 is as below:

| S. No.   | River         | Priority   | Stretch                          | BOD Range (mg/l)   |
|----------|---------------|------------|----------------------------------|--------------------|
| (i)      | Bharathapuzha | IV         | Along Patambi                    | 6.6                |
| (ii)     | Bhavani       | V          | Along Elachivazhy                | 5.4                |
| (iii)    | Chitrapuzha   | V          | Irumpanam to Karingachira        | 4.6                |
| (iv)     | Kadalundy     | V          | Along Hajirappally/ Hajiyarpalli | 3.6                |
| (v)      | Kadambayar    | IV         | Manckakadavu to Brahmapuram      | 5.9-6.4            |
| (vi)     | Kallai        | V          | Thekepuram to Arakkinar          | 4.5                |
| (vii)    | Karamana      | I          | Malekkdu to Thiruvallam          | 56.0               |
| (viii)   | Karuvannur    | V          | Along Karuvannur                 | 3.5                |
| (ix)     | Kavvai        | V          | Along Kavvai                     | 3.9                |
| (x)      | Keecheri      | IV         | Puliyannor to Kechery            | 6.4                |
| (xi)     | Kuppam        | V          | Thaliparamba to Velichangool     | 3.1-3.8            |
| (xii)    | Kuttiyady     | V          | Along Kuttiyady                  | 5.0                |
| (xiii)   | Manimala      | IV         | Kalloopara to Thondra            | 6.3-6.4            |
| (xiv)    | Mogral        | V          | Along Mogral                     | 3.1                |
| (xv)     | Pamba         | IV         | Mannar to Thakazhy               | 3.3-7.8            |
| (xvi)    | Periyar       | V          | Alwaye-eloor to Kalamassery      | 3.2-5.1            |
| (xvii)   | Peruvamba     | V          | Along Peruvamba                  | 3.9                |
| (xviii)  | Puzhackal     | V          | Olarikkara to Puzhackal          | 3.8                |
| (xix)    | Ramapuram     | V          | Along Ramapuram                  | 3.3                |
| (xx)     | Thirur        | V          | Naduvilangadi to Thalakkadathur  | 3.6                |
| (xxi)    | Uppala        | V          | Poyya to Mulinja                 | 3.2                |

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