Lok Sabha Question No. 2897 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: Pollution due to Industrial Effluents
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Virendra Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2897

ANSWERED ON 08.08.2024

## POLLUTION DUE TO INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS

## †2897. SHRI VIRENDRA SINGH

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the major rivers of the country are getting polluted due to industrial effluents;

(b) if so, the action taken in this regard during the last five years;

(c) the amount of funds spent under National Mission for Clean Ganga during the last five years, year-wise; and

(d) the details of current status of river water pollution?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Rivers in the country are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage from cities/ towns and industrial effluents in their respective catchments. Non-point sources of pollution like  agricultural  runoff,  open  defecation,  runoff  from  solid  waste  dump  sites,  etc.  also  contribute  to pollution of rivers. Rapid urbanization and industrialization have compounded the problems.

(b) Steps taken by the  Government to stop discharge of industrial effluents into water bodies, inter-alia include issuance of notification of specific discharge standards, revision of the criteria for categorization of industries  and  issuing  directions  to  all  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/  Pollution  Control committees  (PCCs)  to  adopt  the  same,  regular  and  surprise  inspections  of  Grossly  Polluting  Industries (GPIs) for compliance  verification against stipulated environmental  norms, installation of Online Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring  System  (OCEMS)  for  assessment  of  effluent  quality  and  compliance status.

As per the CPCB, 3526 grossly polluting industries (GPIs) have been identified in Ganga Basin. Out of these, 2855 industries are operational and 671 industries had closed down on their own. Out of 2855 operational industries, 2734 industries are complying with the prescribed environmental standards.  Showcause notices/Closure directions have been issued to  121 non-complying industries.

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, States/UTs are required to implement approved action plans for restoration of the polluted stretches in their jurisdiction as identified and published in its Report by CPCB in 2018. 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.

- (c) Year-wise  funds  released  for  the  last  five  years  by  the  Government  of  India  to  NMCG  and disbursement/release by NMCG under Namami Gange Programme are as given below:

(Rs. in crore)

| F.Y.    | Funds released by Government of India toNMCG   | Disbursement/Release by NMCG   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2019-20 | 1,553.40                                       | 2,673.09                       |
| 2020-21 | 1,300.00                                       | 1,339.97                       |
| 2021-22 | 1,900.00                                       | 1,892.70                       |
| 2022-23 | 2,220.00                                       | 2,258.98                       |
| 2023-24 | 2,400.00                                       | 2,396.10                       |
| Total   | 9,373.40                                       | 10,560.84                      |

- (d) As  per  the  latest  Polluted  River  Stretch  (PRS) report published by CPCB in 2022, 603 rivers were monitored and 311 river stretches on 279 rivers were found polluted in 30 States/ Union Territories (UTs). Details of the same are available at:

https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvMTQ5OF8xNjcyOTg4MDQ1X21lZGlhcG hvdG8xMjk5NS5wZGY=

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