Lok Sabha Question No. 1504 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-13
Subject: River Regulation Zone Policy
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1504

ANSWERED ON 13.02.2025

## RIVER REGULATION ZONE POLICY

## 1504. SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of the draft River Regulation Zone (RRZ) policy and the timeline for its finalisation and implementation;

(b) the extent of stakeholder consultations conducted in developing the Draft RRZ policy, including input from State Governments, environmental experts and local communities;

(c) the measures included in the policy to prevent encroachment and pollution in river floodplains;

(d)  the  role  envisioned  for  State  Governments  and  local  bodies  in  implementing  and  enforcing  the  RRZ regulations; and

(e)  the  plans,  if  any,  for  integrating  the  RRZ  policy  with  existing  environmental  regulations  and  river conservation programmes?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  to  (e) Regulation  of  rivers  through  identifying  River  Conservation/Regulation  Zones,  has  the  primary objective to conserve flood plains and to impose regulations on different activities on the river banks. Land and water, both being the State subjects, it is primarily for the respective States/ Union Territories to take proactive steps for regulation of rivers within their jurisdiction.

The  Govt.  of  India  has  been  supplementing  efforts  of  the  States/  Union  Territories  by  providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in rivers/tributaries in Ganga basin through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange Program, and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan for other rivers in the country.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MOEF&CC),  Government  of  India formulated a Draft River Regulation Zone (RRZ) under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and circulated to all the State/UT Governments on 08.01.2016.  The notification intends to prohibit, restrict as well  as  regulate  certain  activities  in  the  river  conservation  zones  in  order  to  conserve  and  protect  river ecosystem in the country. The MoEF&CC received comments from some of the State and UTs.

As per amendment in Business allocation rules of Government of India, vide Gazette Notification S.O. 1972  (E)  dated  14.06.2019,  the  work  related  to  formulation  of  guidelines  for  management  of  river  fronts including flood plains by evolving a River Regulation Zone (RRZ) is now being handled by Ministry of Jal Shakti.

In continuation of this, Central Water Commission, Department of Water resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has drafted the Technical Guidelines for Flood Plain Zoning and circulated to States and UTs. States and UTs are being encouraged to take up Flood Plain Zoning, and access to Central assistance & support on flood management is conditional on the States and UTs demonstrating progress on Flood Plain Zoning.

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