Lok Sabha Question No. 3915 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: Expansion of Rivers including Ganga and Yamuna
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3915

## ANSWERED ON 19.12.2024

## EXPANSION OF RIVERS INCLUDING GANGA AND YAMUNA

## †3915.    SHRI BHAUSAHEB RAJARAM WAKCHAURE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  total  funds  utilised  for  expansion  of  the  rivers  including  Ganga  and  Yamuna  in  the  country  under  the current action plan/scheme during the last five years and the current year;

(b) the salient features of the said action plan;

(c) whether it is a fact that the toxic and other chemical wastes are still being discharged into the rivers at various places by the industries;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the mechanism put in place for monitoring the water quality and pollution level in this regard, State-wise; and

(e) the extent to which the progress has been made by the Government in achieving the objectives of the said action plan?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) No fund has been sanctioned for the expansion of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. However, for the rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries, including river Yamuna, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has disbursed ₹ 11,587.31 crore to various agencies for implementation of projects/interventions during the last five financial years and in the current financial year up to 15th November 2024.

The National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) has so far covered 57 rivers, spreading over 17 States in the country. The total fund released during the last five years and the current year (up to 31st October 2024) is ₹1,445 crore.

Namami  Gange  Programme  (NGP)  was  launched  in  2014-15  for  a  period  up  to  31 st March  2021  to rejuvenate River Ganga and its tributaries and subsequently  extended up to 31 st March  2026.  A  total  of  203 sewerage infrastructure projects at an estimated cost of  ₹ 32,513 crore have been sanctioned for the creation & rehabilitation of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with treatment capacity of 6,255 Million Litres per Day (MLD) besides activities related to e-flow, biodiversity conservation, abatement of industrial pollution, afforestation, etc.

As  informed  by  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB),  for  the  rejuvenation,  polluted  river stretches (PRS) were identified, and action plans were prepared by State Governments.  These plans may include interventions like afforestation along the banks, tapping of drains, construction of STPs,  solid  waste management, flood plain regulation, rainwater harvesting & other water conservation works, and setting up of biodiversity parks.

(c) & (d) Rivers in the country are polluted and contaminated mainly due to the discharge of untreated and partially  treated  sewage  from  cities/towns  and  industrial  effluents  in  their  respective  catchments.  Non-point sources  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 the pollution of rivers.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in different States/ Union Territories (UTs) has been monitoring the water quality of rivers and other water bodies across the country through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP).

Annual inspections of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) operating in Ganga main-stem States and its tributaries to monitor industrial pollution. GPIs are updated annually in consultation with SPCBs/PCC, with joint inspections by officials from technical institutes (IITs, NITs, etc.) and SPCBs/PCC to verify compliance with effluent discharge norms.

At NMCG, an online dashboard 'PRAYAG ' has been operationalized for the performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), etc. on the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers;

DPCC also monitors the water quality of the river Yamuna at 08 Locations.

Further,  as  per  the  direction  of  the  National  Green  Tribunal  (NGT),  a  High-Level  Committee  (HLC) under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, NCT of Delhi, has been constituted to coordinate with the department involved in Yamuna rejuvenation. HLC has prepared a department-wise detailed action plan for the rejuvenation of River Yamuna.

River-specific action plans are monitored by the River Rejuvenation Committee (RRC) constituted by the State Governments.

The Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary DoWR, RD & GR, regularly reviews the progress of action taken for the rejuvenation of rivers in the country.

(e) The progress/achievements are as follows:

- i. Under NRCP, a sewage treatment capacity of 2,941 million litres per day (MLD) has been created.
2. ii.
- a. Under the NGP, a Sewage Treatment Capacity of 3,327 MLD has been created. b.  Based  on  the  information  provided  by  CPCB,  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  for  River Ganga rejuvenation has resulted into improvement of compliance of GPIs from 39% in 2017 to 82% in 2023 in river Ganga basin states and 64% in 2020 to 79% in 2023 in river Yamuna basin states. Also, 28.6% reduction in effluent generation was observed from 349 MLD in 2017 to 249.31 MLD in 2023 in river Ganga basin states. c. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carried out water quality monitoring of river Ganga. As per the CPCB report, the polluted stretches restored in 2023 as compared to 2018, are (a) Haridwar to Sultanpur  in  Uttarakhand;  (b)  After  confluence  (A/c)  river  Pandu,  Deomai,  Fatehpur  to  Dalmau, Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh (UP) (c) Kadaghat, Kaushambi to Dheemi, Pratapgarh in UP; (d) Prayagraj, Rasoolabad  Up-stream (U/s) to Vindhyachal in UP ( e) U/s Varanasi to Down-stream (D/s) Varanasi in UP (f) Buxar to Bhagalpur in Bihar and (g) Khagra Behrampore to Serampore in West Bengal. d. Further, the value of Dissolved Oxygen which is an indicator of river health has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to support the

ecosystem of river for almost entire stretch of river Ganga.

*****