Lok Sabha Question No. 2457 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Periyar River Basin Conservation Project
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2457

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2023

## Periyar River Basin Conservation Project

## 2457. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the status of Periyar River Basin Conservation Project;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  adopted  an  action  plan  to  mitigate  industrial  and  other sources of pollution in the Periyar River under the project; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c)

National River Conservation Directorate under Ministry of Jal Shakti initiated  efforts towards monitoring and conserving the ecological integrity of six Indian rivers, including Periyar river. The project titled 'Assessment of the Ecological Status of select Indian rivers for Conservation Planning'  in collaboration with WildLife Institute of India, Dehradun aims to comprehensively evaluate the ecological status including assessment of the impact of toxic pollutants in aquatic biodiversity.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality of River Periyar at 12 locations under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

During the year 2018 based on exceedance of Bathing Water Quality Criteria of BOD (exceeding 3  mg/L),  CPCB  identified  Polluted  River  stretch  of  River  Periyar  from  Alwaye-Eloor  to Kalamassery in Kerala under Priority class V (BOD 3.2 - 5.1). Similarly, during the year 2022, CPCB  identified Polluted River stretch of River Periyar along Alwaye-Eloor, along Purappallikavu and along Kalamassery in Kerala under Priority class V (BOD 3.9).

For  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches  identified  in  2018  including  River  Periyar,  action plans were prepared by River Rejuvenation Committee (RRC) constituted by the respective State

Government/UT Administration including the state of Kerala, under the overall supervision and coordination  of  Principal  Secretary,  Environment  of  the  concerned  State/Union  Territory  for bringing all the polluted river stretches identified by CPCB fit for bathing purposes (i.e. BOD ˂ 3 mg/L and FC ˂ 500 MPN/100 mL).

The  action  plan  covers  aspects  such  as  Source  control  (Municipal  sewage  management, Industrial pollution control, Waste management), River catchment/Basin Management (Adoption of good irrigation practices, Utilization of treated sewage, Ground water recharge aspects), Flood Plain  Zone  protection  and  its  management  (Setting  up  of  bio-diversity  parks,  Removal  of encroachments, Rain water harvesting, Plantation on both sides of the river), Ecological/Environmental Flow (E-Flow) and Watershed management.

Implementation of time-bound action plans have been assigned to State Government Departments/  UT  Administration  Departments  for  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches identified in the respective State/UT.  Progress of implementation of action plans is reviewed by the RRC at State Level and Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) at Central Level.

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