Lok Sabha Question No. 1613 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Flowing of Industrial Effluents into Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Charanjit Singh Channi, Shri Arun Govil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1613

ANSWERED ON 05.12.2024

## FLOWING OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS INTO RIVERS

1613.    SHRI CHARANJIT SINGH CHANNI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the measures taken/being taken to reduce high level of pollution in the Sutlej and Beas rivers, particularly with regard to untreated sewage and industrial effluents;

(b) the detailed plan of the Government to increase sewage treatment capacity to prevent further pollution of rivers in Punjab;

(c) whether the Government has formulated any plan to prevent untreated flowing in Meerut and surrounding areas into river and on the land;

(d) whether release of industrial effluents into the river is making it infamous as Kali Nadi in Meerut whereas its water is clean at its origin; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the corrective measures taken/likely to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) As  per  the  last  report  published  by  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  2022  on  pollution assessment of rivers in the country, 311 polluted stretches were identified on 279 rivers, including one stretch on river Satluj in the State of Punjab. No stretch was found polluted on river Beas.

River Satluj gets polluted with the discharge of Buddha Nallah, carrying municipal, industrial, dairy and  other  wastes  from  Ludhiana  town.  Punjab  Pollution  Control  Board  has  informed  that  to  address  the pollution  concerns,  the  State  Government  of  Punjab  has  undertaken  Buddha  Nallah  Rejuvenation  project which mainly included setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) of 225 & 60 million litres per day (MLD), rehabilitation of four STPs, two effluent treatment plants of capacity 3.75 MLD & 2.25 MLD for treatment of waste water from dairy complexes in Ludhiana.

In  order  to  prevent  and  control  of  industrial  discharge  from  clusters  of  small/medium  scale  dyeing industries in Ludhiana, Common Effluent Treatment Plants of capacity 40 MLD, 50 MLD & 15 MLD, have been made operational.

For  conservation  of  rivers,  this  Ministry  has  been  supplementing  efforts  of  the  States/Union Territories by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of

SHRI ARUN GOVIL

rivers in the country through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for rivers in Ganga basin, and Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. Under NRCP, pollution abatement schemes for conservation of Satluj and Beas rivers in Punjab were sanctioned at a total cost of Rs.717.32 crores, and sewage treatment capacity of 648 MLD has been created so far.

(b) The State Government of Punjab has informed that in order to increase sewage treatment capacity in the State, 54 STPs of total capacity 256 MLD are in different stages of implementation. Also, out of proposed 99 STPs, 45 STPs of total capacity 247 MLD are reported to be under tendering or preparation of Detailed Project Report.

(c)  to  (e) Rivers  in  the  country  are  polluted  mainly  due  to  discharge  of  untreated  or  partially  treated sewage from cities/towns and industrial effluents in their respective catchments, problems in operation and maintenance  of  sewage/effluent  treatment  plants,  agricultural  run-off,  dumping  of  solid  wastes,  lack  of dilution and other non-point sources of pollution.

In  case  of  discharge  of  industrial  effluents,  CPCB  has  informed  that  regular  monitoring  of  grossly polluting  industries  (GPIs)  is  being  done.  There  were  64  GPIs  located  in  Meerut,  out  of  which,  4  fall  in catchment area of Hindon while 60 are located in the catchment of river Kali East. Out of these 64, 17 have been self closed. Out of operational 47 GPIs, 42 are complying with the discharge norms. The regulatory bodies take punitive action against non complying GPIs.

To tackle domestic wastewater from Meerut city in the State of Uttar Pradesh, National Mission for Clean Ganga has sanctioned a project for interception and diversion of sewage and setting up STP of 220 MLD at  a  cost  of  Rs.690.71  crore  for  pollution  abatement  for  the  river  Kali  East  under  Namami  Gange Program.

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