Lok Sabha Question No. 2052 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-14
Subject: Polluted River Stretches
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Pritam Gopinath Munde, Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Chandra Sekhar Sahu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2052

ANSWERED ON 14.12.2023

## POLLUTED RIVER STRETCHES

## 2052.          DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the National Green Tribunal has identified polluted stretches in various rivers in various States including in Odisha and Maharashtra;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clean polluted river stretches has not been implemented till now;

(d) if so, the facts thereof, State-wise, particularly Maharashtra and Odisha along with the reasons for not implementing the NGT order;

(e)  whether  the  Ministry  has  devised  any  appropriate  mechanism  for  more  effective  monitoring  of  steps taken for control of pollution and rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches in the country; and

(f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  effective  steps  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Union  Government  for control of pollution and rejuvenation of all polluted river stretches in the country in mission mode?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a)  to  (f) Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  association  with  State  Pollution  Control  Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  in  different  States/Union  Territories  (UTs),  including Maharashtra and Odisha, have been monitoring the water quality of rivers and other water bodies through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). Pollution assessment of rivers is carried out by CPCB from time to time based on water quality monitoring  results  in  terms  of  Biochemical  Oxygen  Demand  (BOD)  levels,  an  indicator  of  organic pollution. As  per  the  latest  CPCB  report  published  in  November  2022,  311  polluted  river  stretches  have been  identified  on  279  rivers.  River-wise  details  of  polluted  river  stretches  identified  can  be  accessed at: https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvMTQ5OF8xNjcyOTg4MDQ1X21lZGlhc GhvdG8xMjk5NS5wZGY=

In  compliance with the  orders of Hon'ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application No.673/2018  regarding  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches  in  the  country,  including  Odisha  and

Maharashtra, concerned States/UTs are implementing Action Plans for restoration of the polluted stretches in  their  jurisdiction  as  identified  by  CPCB  and  published  in  their  report  of  2018.  River  Rejuvenation Committees (RRCs) have been constituted by State Governments/UTs for preparation and implementation of  approved  Action  Plans,  within  the  stipulated  timelines.  As  per  the  orders  of  NGT,  regular  review  on implementation  of  these  action  plans  is  undertaken  in  the  States/UTs  and  the  same  is  also  done  at  the Central level by Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India.

The  action  plans  cover  various  aspects  such  as  source  control  (municipal  sewage  management, industrial  pollution  control,  waste  management),  river  catchment/basin  management  (adoption  of  good irrigation  practices,  utilization  of  treated  sewage,  ground  water  recharge  aspects),  flood  plain  zone protection  and  its  management  (setting  up  of  bio-diversity  parks,  removal  of  encroachments,  rain  water harvesting,  plantation  on  both  sides  of  the  river)  and  ecological/environmental  flow  (e-flow).  As  per Hon'ble  NGT  orders,  the  approved  action  plans  are  monitored  under  the  overall  supervision  and coordination of Chief Secretary of the concerned State/Union Territory, covering all aspects.

As  per  the  provisions  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  and  Water  (Prevention  &  Control  of Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units are required to install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and treat their effluents to comply with stipulated environmental standards before discharging into river and water bodies. Accordingly,  CPCB,  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)  and  Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs) monitor industries with respect to effluent discharge standards and take punitive action for non-compliance under provisions of these Acts.

Cleaning of river is a continuous process. The Central Government is supplementing the efforts of the State Governments and Union Territories in addressing the challenges of pollution of rivers by providing financial  and  technical  assistance  through  schemes  like  National  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  and Namami Gange Programme (NGP).

In addition, sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.

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