Lok Sabha Question No. 352 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: Polluted Water in Canals of Rajasthan
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. *352

ANSWERED ON 19.12.2024

## POLLUTED WATER IN CANALS OF RAJASTHAN

| † *352                                                                                                                                                                                                           | SHRIHANUMAN BENIWAL                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                                                                                                                             | Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:                                                                                                                                                             |
| (a) whether the Government has taken note that the water coming from Harike Barrage into the canals of                                                                                                           | (a) whether the Government has taken note that the water coming from Harike Barrage into the canals of                                                                                                           |
| Rajasthan is being highly polluted due to the discharge of industrial effluent of Punjab;                                                                                                                        | Rajasthan is being highly polluted due to the discharge of industrial effluent of Punjab;                                                                                                                        |
| (b) if so, the details thereof; and                                                                                                                                                                              | (b) if so, the details thereof; and                                                                                                                                                                              |
| (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent the discharge of industrial effluent in the canals of Rajasthan as the impurities even after filtering the water is affecting the health of people? | (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent the discharge of industrial effluent in the canals of Rajasthan as the impurities even after filtering the water is affecting the health of people? |
| ANSWER                                                                                                                                                                                                           | ANSWER                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI                                                                                                                                                                                       | THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI                                                                                                                                                                                       |

## (SHRI C R PAATIL)

- (a) to (c) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. *352 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2024 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING 'POLLUTED WATER IN CANALS OF RAJASTHAN'

(a) & (b) River Beas merges with the River Sutlej near Harike Barrage in Punjab. After confluence, the major part of the water is diverted through two canals namely Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan canal) and Firozpur feeder.

As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the water quality of river Sutlej deteriorates due to discharge  of  untreated/  partially  treated  sewage  and  industrial  effluent  from  cities  and  towns  of  Punjab including  Ludhiana (through Buddha Nullah Drain), Jalandhar and Phagwara (through East Bein). CPCB periodically monitors water quality of River Sutlej, River Beas, Rajasthan Canal, Buddha Nullah drain and East Bein drain jointly with Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB).

The water quality of  Indira Gandhi Canal (Rajasthan Canal) and Firozpur Feeder Canal at Harike Barrage was monitored during April, 2024 by CPCB in association with PPCB. The analysis results of the samples collected from two canals with respect to physico-chemical, biological and heavy metals parameters are placed as Annexure .

The analysis results indicate that water quality of Indira Gandhi Canal is complying to the 'C' class of Water Quality Criteria for Designated Best Use i.e. Drinking Water Source after conventional treatment and  disinfection.  However,  water  quality  of  Firozpur  Feeder  Canal  is  not  complying  to  the  'C'  class of Water Quality Criteria for Designated Best Use with respect to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (BOD was found as 5mg/L against  norm of 3 mg/L or less ).

(c) Cleaning/Rejuvenation of rivers is a continuous process. It is the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories (UTs) and Urban Local Bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the  prescribed  norms  before  discharging  into  the  rivers  and  other  water  bodies.  This  Ministry  has  been supplementing  efforts  of  the  States/UTs  by  providing  financial  and  technical  assistance  for  abatement  of pollution in rivers/tributaries in Ganga basin through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange Program, and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan for other rivers in the country. The schemes like AMRUT, Smart City run by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs are helping Urban Local bodies to create sewerage infrastructure. Central Pollution Control Board keeps on directing Urban Local bodies and State Pollution Control Board for compliance as per Environmental Protection Act.

State government of Punjab had undertaken Buddha Nallah rejuvenation project with cost of approx. 650 Cr. Under the project, two new STPs of 285 MLD have been established. 4 old STPs of 418 MLD have been rejuvenated. 2 ETPs of 6 MLD capacity for management of dairy waste have also been established. In addition  to  this,  3  CETPs  of  105  MLD  for  treatment  of  industrial  waste  water  have  been  established  at Ludhiana.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued orders from time to time related to polluted river stretches.  In  Original  Application  No.  673/2018,  in  which  the  NGT  directed  that  all  States/UTs  should prepare  action  plans  for  the  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches  in  the  country  identified  in  2018  by Central  Pollution  Control  Board.  As  per  the  direction,  the  implementation  of  said  action  plans  has  to  be reviewed  at  all  States/UTs  and  the  central  level.  In  compliance  of  these  orders  the  States  have  got  their action plan prepared and got approved from the competent authority. For monitoring, Central Monitoring Committee  (CMC)  has  been  constituted  at  Central  level  under  the  Chairmanship  of  the  Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India. So far, 19 CMC meetings have been held.

***

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## ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  &  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *352 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.12.2024 REGARDING 'POLLUTED WATER IN CANALS OF RAJASTHAN'

Analysis results of Water Quality of monitored canals

|   S. No. | Parameters             | Indira Gandhi CanalFirozpur   | Feeder   |
|----------|------------------------|-------------------------------|----------|
|        1 | Dissolved Oxygen, mg/L | 6.9                           | 6.5      |
|        2 | pH                     | 7.9                           | 7.6      |
|        3 | BOD, mg/L              | 2.3                           | 5        |
|        4 | COD, mg/L              | 7                             | 14       |
|        5 | Chloride, mg/L         | 32                            | 48       |
|        6 | TC, MPN/100 ml         | 17x10 2                       | 700      |
|        7 | FC, MPN/100 ml         | 22x10 2                       | 17x10 2  |
|        8 | As, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|        9 | Cd, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|       10 | Cr, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|       11 | Co, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|       12 | Cu, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|       13 | Fe, mg/L               | 0.99                          | 0.61     |
|       14 | Pb, mg/L               | 0.02                          | BDL      |
|       15 | Mn, mg/L               | 0.08                          | 0.08     |
|       16 | Ni, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |
|       17 | Zn, mg/L               | BDL                           | BDL      |

BDL: Below detectable limit