Lok Sabha Question No. 1162 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-28
Subject: Wildlife Deaths and Water Pollution in Solapur
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1162

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025

## Wildlife Deaths and Water Pollution in Solapur

## 1162.   MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE

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

- (a) whether any direction has been issued to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to complete a forensic investigation, publish  the  cause  of  death  for  the  55  protected  turtles,  and  judicially  penalize  any authorities  or  polluters  found  responsible  for  the  said  incident  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  mandate  an  immediate  ecological  audit  and rehabilitation  programme-including  sewage  diversion,  dredging  and  riparian  buffer restoration- under the Water Act and Wildlife Protection Act considering the lake has a history of fish kills and recurring contamination and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the plans proposed by the Government to install continuous water quality monitoring systems in protected wildlife habitats like Siddheshwar Lake, enforce realtime pollution alerts and ensure monthly public reporting to prevent future ecological tragedies?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (b)

The  protection and management of wildlife and its habitat is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government and Union Territory Administration. The Chief Wild Life Wardens of the States/Union Territories are empowered to take necessary action under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for violation of provisions of the Act.

As per the information received from Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the death incident of turtles and fishes was reported at Shri Siddheshwar Temple Lake in the month of April-May 2025. Shri Siddheshwar lake is sole property of Shri Siddheshwar Temple committee and maintenance of the said lake solely lies with the temple committee. The  inspection  of  Shri  Siddheshwar  Temple  Lake  and  surrounding  was  conducted  by MPCB, other concerned authorities including Solapur Municipal Corporation, and Forest Department, Fisheries  and  Animal  Husbandry  Department  of  the  Government  of Maharashtra.

The MPCB issued direction on 13/06/2025 under section 33 A of Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to  Shri Siddheshwar Devasthan and Solapur Municipal Corporation directing them to take appropriate measures for water quality improvement of lake. As per the postmortem of dead turtles conducted by District Veterinary Polyclinic Officers along with Veterinary Officers of Solapur Municipal Corporation (SMC) on 9th May 2025, the cause of death of turtles could not be ascertained. As per the inspection of MPCB and the water quality analysis report of lake, the amount of dissolved oxygen was found to be very low, the BOD / COD (biological / chemical oxygen demand) parameters were found at higher side. SMC has started aeration fountain system on immediate basis. Further, a meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Collector, Solapur and directions were given to PWD to install additional aeration system.

- (c) The steps taken by the government for conservation of lakes and prevention & control of water pollution are given below:
-  Goverment of India enacted The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974  and  various  provisions  under  The  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  for protection  of  water  bodies  and  the  Central  &  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  are implementing the provisions of both The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to prevent and control pollution of aquatic resources.
-  Government of India stipulated General environmental standards under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 with an aim to prevent pollution in the water bodies.
-  SPCBs/PCCs have been directed under Section 18(1) (b) of The Water (Prevention & Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  vide  letter  dated  21.04.2015  to  direct  concerned agencies in the State/UT to develop infrastructure for sewage treatment.
-  CPCB vide letter dated 17.02.2023 requested all the SPCBs/PCCs to ensure necessary action  to  prevent,  control/abate  pollution  of  stagnant  water  bodies  in  respective States/UTs as per provisions of Section 17.1.(a) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
-  The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitors water quality of  aquatic  resources in the country at  4,736  locations  which  includes  558  on  Lakes under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP).
-  MoEF&CC is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely, National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)/2024 for conservation and management of  wetlands  in  the  country,  on  cost  sharing  basis  between  Central  Government  and respective State Governments. The scheme covers various activities such as interception,  treatment  of  wastewater,  shoreline  protection,  in-situ  cleaning  i.e., desilting  and  deweeding,  storm  water  management,  bioremediation,  catchment  area treatment  including  tree  plantation  in catchment  area,  survey  and  demarcation,  biofencing, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation, etc.
-  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  &  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has  notified  the Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2017  under  the  provisions  of  the Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  as  regulatory  framework  for  conservation  and management  of  wetlands  across  the  country  to  conserve,  manage  and  maintain  the ecological character of the wetlands. The said Rules inter-alia restrict the activities, like solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages etc. In accordance with the provisions of the Wetlands (Conservation and  Management)  Rules,  2017,  the  primary  responsibility  for  the  conservation  and management of wetlands lies with the respective State Wetland Authorities.