Lok Sabha Question No. 3070 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Pollution of Brahmaputra Tributary in Boko
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3070

ANSWERED ON 07.08.2025

## POLLUTION OF BRAHMAPUTRA TRIBUTARY IN BOKO

## 3070. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  severe  pollution  affecting  a  tributary  of  the  Brahmaputra  in Boko, Assam as highlighted in recent reports;
- (b) if so, whether any study has been conducted to assess the sources and extent of pollution in the affected water body and its impact on local communities and ecosystems and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the measures taken/to be taken by the Government under the Swachh Bharat Mission and other relevant programmes to address water pollution in Assam's rivers and tributaries, particularly in Boko;
- (d) whether any funds have been allocated specifically for cleaning and restoring polluted water bodies in Assam, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  to  strengthen  the  enforcement  of  environmental  regulations  to  prevent industrial, household and agricultural waste from being dumped into rivers in Assam?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

- (a) & (b) As informed by Assam Pollution Control Board, no specific information is available on any such report  and  it has  not  undertaken  any  detailed  study  specifically  regarding  severe  pollution  affecting  a tributary  in  Boko  of  the  Brahmaputra,  Assam.  As  per  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  report  on pollution  assessment  of  rivers  in  the  country,  published  in  November,  2022,  the  details  of  polluted  river stretches in the State of Assam are as below: -

|   S. No. | River        | Polluted river stretch/location             |   Max Bod observed(mg/l) | Priority Class   |
|----------|--------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------|------------------|
|        1 | Bega         | Along Mangaldoi                             |                      3.9 | V                |
|        2 | Bharalu      | Along Ulubari                               |                     76   | I                |
|        3 | Burhidihing  | Along Margherita                            |                      3.6 | V                |
|        4 | Dhansiri     | Along Bokajan and Numaligarh                |                      3.5 | V                |
|        5 | Digboi       | IOCL Oil Town to Lakhipathar Reserve Forest |                      5.2 | V                |
|        6 | Kharsang     | Along Kharsang                              |                      3.3 | V                |
|        7 | Kulsi        | Along Chaygaon                              |                      3.2 | V                |
|        8 | Mora Bharali | Along Mora Bharali                          |                      3.6 | V                |
|        9 | Pagldia      | Along Nalbari town                          |                      3.4 | V                |
|       10 | Tocklai      | Along Kumar Kaibarta Gaon                   |                      4.8 | V                |

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  has  established  a  Water  Quality  Monitoring  Network  under  the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). Currently, water quality monitoring is carried out

at  4736  locations  in  the  country  including  2155  locations  on  645  rivers.  In  Assam,  the  water  quality  is monitored at 239 locations including 112 locations on 73 rivers, out of which the Kulsi river which is a tributary of Brahmaputra River in Boko is monitored by Assam Pollution Control Board at 2 locations viz. River Kulsi at Chaygaon Near NH37 Crossing and Kukurmara.

As informed by CPCB, the water quality data of Kulsi river monitored at these two locations during 2024 indicates that the Kulsi river is complying with the Primary Water Quality Criteria for Outdoor Bathing notified by MoEF&CC under Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules, 2000.

(c) It is the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories (UTs) and local bodies to ensure required treatment of domestic wastewater and industrial effluents, before discharging into recipient water bodies or  land  for  prevention  and  control  of  pollution  therein.  For  conservation  of  rivers/tributaries  in  the country  excluding  Ganga  Basin,  this  Ministry  is  supplementing  efforts  of  the  States/UTs  with  the implementation of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) on cost sharing basis.

Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), to mitigate water pollution caused by untreated drainage discharge into natural water bodies such as rivers, wetlands, and ponds, an End-of-Drainage Treatment System based on the Constructed Wetland approach has been implemented in Boko and other tributaries of  Brahmaputra to  address  the  growing  concern  of  water  pollution.  Further,  Boko  block  is  Open Defecation  Free  (ODF)  Plus  Model  with  Solid  and  Liquid  Waste  Management  facilities  in  all  138 Villages.

(d) The  proposal  for  pollution  abatement  works  in  identified  towns  along  polluted  river  stretches  are received from the States/UTs from time to time for consideration under NRCP. Proposals are sanctioned based on their prioritization, conformity with the NRCP guidelines, availability of Plan funds etc. No proposal has been received under NRCP from Government of Assam. However, a proposal of Govt of Assam,  namely  Rejuvenation  and  Bioremediation  of  Silsako  Beel  Water  Body,  Guwahati,  with  an estimated cost of Rs 237 crore has been recently included under PMKSY-HKKP (RRR) for providing central assistance of Rs 213.30 crore in the FY 2025-26.

(e) Cleaning/rejuvenation  of  rivers is a continuous  and  dynamic  process.   Steps  taken  by  the Government  to  stop  discharge  of  industrial  effluents  into  rivers,  inter  alia  include  issuance  of notification of specific discharge standards, revision of the criteria for categorization of industries and issuing  directions  to  all  SPCBs/PCCs  to  adopt  the  same,  issuance  of  consent  to  establish  /consent  to operate by the SPCBs/PCCs, regular and surprise inspection of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) for compliance  verification  against  stipulated  environmental  norms,  installation  of  Online  Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systrom (OCEMS) for assessment  of effluent quality and compliance status.

As per the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units are required to install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and treat their effluents to comply with stipulated environmental standards before discharging into river and water bodies. Accordingly, CPCB, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitor industries with respect to effluent discharge standards and take punitive action for noncompliance under provisions of these Acts.

Besides, in compliance  of  the  orders  of  National  Green  Tribunal  in  Original  Application No.673/2018  regarding  polluted  river  stretches  in  the  country,  States/UTs  are  required  to  implement action plans for restoration of the said stretches in their jurisdiction within the stipulated timelines. The progress in this regard is reviewed by the Central Government with the concerned States/UTs from time to time.

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