Lok Sabha Question No. 1734 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Polluted Rivers/Stepwell/Ponds in Jhunjhunu District of Rajasthan
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Brijendra Singh Ola

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1734

ANSWERED ON 05.12.2024

## POLLUTED RIVERS/STEPWELL/PONDS IN JHUNJHUNU DISTRICT OF RAJASTHAN

## †1734. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH OLA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether rivers are being polluted on large scale due to the untreated sewage, water and the waste coming out from the industries and hotels pushed directly into rivers and drains;

(b) if so, the total number of the rivers, sewage, ponds, and small rivers polluted in the districts of Rajasthan particularly in Jhunjhunu district;

(c) the details of the plans being run by the Government to save these rivers from pollution; and

(d) the details of small rivers and drains included in the said plan?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  &  (b) Rivers  in  the  country  are  polluted  and  contaminated  mainly  due to discharge of untreated  and partially treated sewage from cities/towns and industrial effluents in their respective catchments. Non-point source  of  pollution  like  erosion,  transportation  and  sedimentation  of  rocks,  soils,  agriculture  runoff,  open defecation and runoff from solid waste dumping sites, etc. also contribute to pollution of river.

As per the report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) published in 2022, a total of 603 rivers in the country were monitored, and it was found that a total of 311 river stretches of 279 rivers were polluted, including 14 polluted river stretches of Rajasthan. List of the polluted river stretches identified in Rajasthan is at Annexure.

(c)  & (d) It is the responsibility of States and Urban Local Bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescribed norms before discharging into the rivers and other water bodies. The Govt of India provides financial and technical support to the states and ULBs under various programs like Namami Gange and National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

Central Sector scheme 'Namami Gange' is being run by Ministry of Jal Shakti for pollution abetment in  Ganga  and  other  rivers  falling  in  Ganga  Basin.  For  other  rivers,  a  centrally  sponsored  National  River Conservation Plan is being run to support the efforts of States and ULBs for abetment of pollution in rivers.

NRCP has so far covered 57 rivers, including small rivers namely, Nambul at Manipur, Rani Chu at Sikkim, Zuari  at  Goa,  etc.   spreading  over  17  States  in  the  country  with  a  sanctioned  cost  of  Rs.8931.49 crore, and inter-alia, a sewage treatment capacity of 2941 million litres per day (MLD) has been created.

Namami Gange program covers 30 rivers, including small rivers like Bidal in Uttrakhand, Dhamola in Uttar Pradesh, Kuil in Bihar, Damodar in Jharkhand etc. A total of 484 projects, including 203 projects for sewage treatment of 6255 MLD and a sewer network of 5249 kilometer, have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.39604 crore against which sewerage treatment capacity of 3327 MLD has been created so far.

Under  NRCP,  four  projects  have  been  sanctioned  at  a  total  cost  of  Rs172.60  crore  in  Jodhpur, Rajasthan,  for  pollution  abatement  of  River  Jojari,  and  inter-alia  sewage  treatment  capacity  of  40  million liters per day (MLD) with a sewage network is envisaged. No proposal has been received from Government of Rajasthan related to Jhunjhunu district.

***

## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1734 TO BE ANSWERED  IN LOK SABHA ON 05.12.2024  REGARDING  'POLLUTED RIVERS/STEPWELL/PONDS IN JHUNJHUNU DISTRICT OF RAJASTHAN'.

List of 14 polluted river stretches in Rajasthan identified by CPCB in November, 2022

|   S No | River Name     | Polluted River Stretch/ Location                     |   Max BOD Observed | Priority Class   |
|--------|----------------|------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|------------------|
|      1 | Banas          | Bassi to Bisalpur                                    |               35.7 | I                |
|      2 | Bandi          | along Pali                                           |               94   | I                |
|      3 | Jawai          | at Jawai Dam                                         |               11.7 | III              |
|      4 | Guwardi        | along Guwardi                                        |                9.5 | IV               |
|      5 | Kanota         | along Sumel                                          |                9.5 | IV               |
|      6 | Khari          | along Kelwara                                        |                7.6 | IV               |
|      7 | Kothari        | along Bhilwara                                       |                6.2 | IV               |
|      8 | Berech         | along Nagari                                         |                3.9 | V                |
|      9 | Bhanwar Semila | along Bhanwar Semla                                  |                3.8 | V                |
|     10 | Chambal        | along Keshoraipattan and along Pali (Sawai Madhopur) |                5.7 | V                |
|     11 | Gambhiri       | along Chittorgarh                                    |                4.9 | V                |
|     12 | Luni           | along Ranakpur                                       |                3.8 | V                |
|     13 | Mahi           | along Banswara                                       |                5   | V                |
|     14 | Piplaad        | at Piplaad Dam                                       |                3.2 | V                |

The  polluted  river  stretches  have  been  categorized  into  5  Priority  Classes,  based  on  BioChemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels as under:

| Category     | BOD in Milligram per litre (mg/l)   |
|--------------|-------------------------------------|
| Priority I   | BOD exceeding 30 mg/l               |
| Priority II  | BOD between 20-30 mg/l              |
| Priority III | BOD between 10-20 mg/l              |
| Priority IV  | BOD between 6-10 mg/l               |
| PriorityV    | BOD between 3-6 mg/l                |

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