Lok Sabha Question No. 3257 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-20
Subject: Faecal Bacteria in Ganga River
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Murari Lal Meena, Ms Sayani Ghosh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3257

ANSWERED ON 20.03.2025

## FAECAL BACTERIA IN GANGA RIVER

## 3257. MS SAYANI GHOSH SHRI MURARI LAL MEENA

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  current  status  of  pollution  levels  in  the  Ganga  river  including  faecal  pollution  in  the  stretch  from Uttarakhand to West Bengal and Rishikesh to Bihar, location-wise;

(b) the details of the health issues occurred due to the high quantum of faecal bacteria in Ganga river and the steps taken/being taken in this regard;

(c) whether the Government is aware that recent reports highlight the high levels of faecal bacteria detected in Ganga river during large spiritual gatherings, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government is regularly monitoring the level of faecal bacteria in Ganga river, if so, the details and outcome thereof along with the number of times it is examined;

(e) the current status of the campaigns being run by the Government to make the water of Ganga and other rivers of the country particularly the rivers in Rajasthan free from faecal and other bacteria along with the time by which these campaigns are likely to be assessed for their effectiveness;

(f)  the  total  amount  of  funds  allocated  and  utilised  under  the  Namami  Gange  Project  for  the  cleaning  and rejuvenation of Ganga river since inception, State/year-wise; and

(g)  the  specific  measures  taken/being  taken  under  the  said  Project  to  address  industrial,  municipal  and agricultural pollution in the river and the effectiveness of these measures?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  &  (d) Manual Water quality monitoring of River Ganga is carried out by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at 112 stations (Uttarakhand-19; Uttar Pradesh-41; Bihar-33; Jharkhand-04 & West Bengal-15) on fortnightly basis through concerned State Pollution Control Boards.

The State-wise data range of Physical parameters and Organic parameter, included in notified primary water quality criteria by CPCB is enclosed in Annexure-I .

As per Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  report,  the  Polluted  River  Stretches  (PRS)  on  river Ganga, are as under:

- a. Uttarakhand does not fall under polluted stretch
- b. In Uttar Pradesh, Farrukhabad to Allahabad & Mirzapur to Ghazipur in Priority Class V
- c. In Bihar, along Buxar, Patna, Fatwah and Bhagalpur Priority Class IV
- d. Jharkhand does not fall under polluted stretch
- e. In West Bengal, Behrampur to Haldia Priority Class IV

As  per  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  report,  Faecal  Coliform  (median)  primary  water quality criteria for bathing is met in the entire stretch of river Ganga in Uttarakhand & Jharkhand and certain stretches of UP, Bihar and West Bengal while Faecal Streptococoi (median) the primary water quality criteria for bathing is met in the entire stretch of river Ganga in Uttarakhand, Bihar & Jharkhand and certain stretches of UP and West Bengal.

Dissolved Oxygen, which is an indicator of river health, has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to support the ecosystem of river for almost the entire stretch of the river Ganga.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carried out water quality monitoring of river Ganga.  As per  the  CPCB  report,  the  polluted  stretches  restored  in  2023  as  compared  to  2018,  are  (a)  Haridwar  to Sultanpur in Uttarakhand; (b) After confluence (A/c) river Pandu, Deomai, Fatehpur to Dalmau, Raebareili in Uttar Pradesh (UP) (c) Kadaghat, Kaushambi to Dheemi, Pratapgarh in UP; (d) U/s Varanasi to Down-stream D/s Varanasi in UP (f) Buxar to Bhagalpur in Bihar and (g) Khagra Behrampore to Serampore in West Bengal.

(b)  &  (c) A  comprehensive report dated 28.02.2025 in the matter of  OA 310/2022 was submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board before Hon'ble NGT in compliance to order dated 23.12.2024 pertaining to Mahakumbh at Prayagraj. As per the referred report, median value of pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), BOD and Faecal Coliform (FC) for all the monitored locations was within the respective criteria/permissible limits for bathing water.

(e) National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga  (NMCG)  has  sanctioned,  a  total  of  206  number  of  sewerage infrastructure projects costing ₹ 33,004 crores have been taken up for remediation of polluted river areas with treatment capacity of 6,335 Million Litres per Day (MLD). 127 STP projects with a capacity of 3,446 MLD have  been  completed  and  made  operational.  The  pollution  abatement  infrastructure  created  under  Namami Gange Programme has the provision of tertiary treatment (Chlorination, Ozonation etc.) for the treatment of faecal coliform and other bacteria as per the CPCB specified discharge standards. In Rajasthan, NMCG has sanctioned one project for creation of 36 MLD sewage treatment plant at a cost of ₹ 258.48 crores.

(f) The  year-wise  details  of  the  amount  allocated  by  the  Government  of  India  to  the  National  Mission  for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and amount disbursed by NMCG to various agencies for implementation of projects/ interventions to abate pollution, as well as to rejuvenate river Ganga and its tributaries since inception of the Namami Gange Programme (FY 2014-15) to 03 March 2025 is at Annexure II.

No  State-wise  allocation  is  made  under  the  Namami  Gange  programme.  However,  the  amount disbursed to various agencies including State Missions for Clean Ganga, for implementation of projects/interventions  under  the  Namami  Gange  Programme  since  its  inception  (FY  2014-15)  till  03  March 2025, compiled State-wise, is at Annexure-III.

(g) For  industrial  pollution  abatement,  3  nos.  of  Common  Effluent  Treatment  Plants  (CETPs)  have  been sanctioned  by  NMCG  i.e.,  Jajmau  CETP  (20  MLD),  Banther  CETP  (4.5  MLD),  and  Mathura  CETP  (6.25 MLD).  Out  of  these,  two  projects,  Mathura  CETP  (6.25  MLD)  and  Jajmau  CETP  (20  MLD)  have  been completed.

Further  to  monitor  the  industrial  pollution,  annual  inspection  of  Grossly  Polluting  Industries)  GPIs started  in  2017.  In  seventh  round  of  inspection,  4,246  Grossly  Polluting  Industries  (GPIs)  have  been inventoried in the 7th round of inspection. All the GPIs have been inspected. So far, out of 4,000 GPIs on which action has been completed, 2,685 GPIs are compliant, 514 are non-compliant, 523 GPIs are temporarily closed, and 278 GPIs are permanently closed. Among the non-compliant (514 GPIs), 26 GPIs have been issued notice for closure and 488 GPIs have been issued show cause notice. These efforts have resulted in reduction in BOD load from 26 tons per day (TPD) in 2017 to 13.73 TPD in 2023, and about 28.6% reduction in effluent discharge from 349 MLD in 2017 to 249.31 MLD in 2023.

For agricultural pollution, NMCG is promoting 'Zero Budget Natural Farming' in Ganga Basin through various farmer's workshops.

***

## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3257 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.03.2025 REGARDING 'FAECAL BACTERIA IN GANGA RIVER'.

## Spatial Variability Across Stations in the State based on the median values of the Station for physical and organic parameters

| State   |                    |                           | 2024 (Jan-Nov)   | 2024 (Jan-Nov)   |
|---------|--------------------|---------------------------|------------------|------------------|
| State   | Parameters         | Parameters                | Min              | Max              |
|         | Physical           | pH                        | 7.4              | 8.1              |
|         | parameters         | Dissolved Oxygen          | 8.2              | 11.6             |
|         | Organic parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 1                | 2                |
| Uttar   | Physical           | pH                        | 7.2              | 8.4              |
| Uttar   | parameters         | Dissolved Oxygen          | 6.9              | 10.4             |
| Uttar   | Organic parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 1.2              | 4.5              |
|         | Physical           | pH                        | 7.5              | 7.8              |
|         | parameters         | Dissolved Oxygen          | 7.2              | 8.1              |
|         | Organic parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 1.2              | 2.0              |
|         | Physical           | pH                        | 7.5              | 7.6              |
|         | parameters         | Dissolved Oxygen          | 7.2              | 7.3              |
|         | Organic parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 1.2              | 1.5              |
|         | Physical           | pH                        | 7.2              | 8.0              |
|         | parameters         | Dissolved Oxygen          | 5.4              | 7.1              |
|         | Organic parameters | Biochemical Oxygen Demand | 1.8              | 2.8              |

## ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3257 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.03.2025 REGARDING 'FAECAL BACTERIA IN GANGA RIVER'.

Year-wise details of the budget provisions, amount released by the Government of India to NMCG and  amount  disbursed  by  NMCG  to  various  implementing/  executing  agencies  under  Namami Gange Programme (FY 2014-15 to till 03 March 2025) Budget Provisions

Rs. in crores

|                       | Financial Year   | Budget Provision (Revise Estimate)   | Funds released by Government of India to NMCG   | Disbursement/Release byNMCG   |
|-----------------------|------------------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2014-15          | 2,053.00                             | 326.00                                          | 170.99                        |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2015-16          | 1,650.00                             | 1,632.00                                        | 602.30                        |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2016-17          | 1,675.00                             | 1,675.00                                        | 1,062.81                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2017-18          | 3,023.42                             | 1,423.12                                        | 1,625.01                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2018-19          | 2,370.00                             | 2,307.50                                        | 2,626.54                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2019-20          | 1,553.40                             | 1,553.40                                        | 2,673.09                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | 2020-21          | 1,300.00                             | 1,300.00                                        | 1,339.97                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-I  | Sub-Total (A)    | 13,624.82                            | 10,217.02                                       | 10,100.71                     |
| Namami Gange Phase-II | 2021-22          | 1,900.00                             | 1,900.00                                        | 1,892.70                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-II | 2022-23          | 2,500.00                             | 2,220.00                                        | 2,258.98                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-II | 2023-24          | 2,400.00                             | 2,400.00                                        | 2,396.10                      |
| Namami Gange Phase-II | 2024-25          | 3,000.00                             | 2,801.60                                        | 2,051.66*                     |
| Namami Gange Phase-II | Sub-Total (B)    | 9,800.00                             | 9,321.60                                        | 8,599.44                      |
|                       | Total (A+B)      | 23,424.82                            | 19,538.62                                       | 18,700.15                     |

ANNEXURE-III ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3257 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.03.2025 REGARDING 'FAECAL BACTERIA IN GANGA RIVER'.

| Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   | Financial Year 2014-15 to 03 March 2025   |
|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                   | States                                    | 2014-15                                   | 2015-16                                   | 2016-17                                   | 2017-18                                   | 2018-19                                   | 2019-20                                   | 2020-21                                   | 2021-22                                   | 2022-23                                   | 2023-24                                   | 2024-25                                   |
| 1                                         | Uttarakhand                               | 4.26                                      | 37.04                                     | 44.03                                     | 242.49                                    | 328.94                                    | 122.28                                    | 124.82                                    | 147.51                                    | 111.72                                    | 144.40                                    | 82.12                                     |
| 2                                         | Uttar Pradesh                             | 74.58                                     | 153.35                                    | 585.15                                    | 550.12                                    | 823.77                                    | 876.68                                    | 472.46                                    | 450.69                                    | 707.44                                    | 820.74                                    | 999.33                                    |
| 3                                         | Bihar                                     | -                                         | 124.23                                    | 88.07                                     | 367.18                                    | 673.03                                    | 1,185.17                                  | 193.84                                    | 250.70                                    | 873.39                                    | 878.96                                    | 333.98                                    |
| 4                                         | Jharkhand                                 | 0.97                                      | 27.83                                     | 49.53                                     | 21.72                                     | 86.73                                     | 30.50                                     | 28.09                                     | 13.61                                     | 4.75                                      | 32.60                                     | 97.23                                     |
| 5                                         | West Bengal                               | 73.85                                     | 185.49                                    | 117.25                                    | 245.87                                    | 227.62                                    | 70.60                                     | 105.06                                    | 134.42                                    | 255.52                                    | 150.88                                    | 229.72                                    |
| 6                                         | Madhya Pradesh                            | -                                         | 3.39                                      | 6.50                                      | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | 12.50                                     | 39.67                                     |
| 7                                         | Delhi                                     | -                                         | 4.96                                      | 2.17                                      | 81.57                                     | 310.69                                    | 214.47                                    | 235.00                                    | 405.00                                    | 77.33                                     | 161.18                                    | -                                         |
| 8                                         | Haryana                                   | -                                         | 30.00                                     | 52.73                                     | 6.88                                      | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         |                                           |
| 9                                         | Rajasthan                                 | -                                         | -                                         | 20.00                                     | -                                         | 1.25                                      | -                                         | -                                         | 50.00                                     | -                                         | -                                         |                                           |
| 10                                        | Himachal Pradesh                          | -                                         | -                                         |                                           | -                                         | -                                         | -                                         | 1.25                                      | 2.50                                      | -                                         | -                                         |                                           |

Note 1 : State-wise disbursements indicated above include funds released to (I) State Missions for Clean Ganga for Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and associated infrastructure, (ii) State Forest Departments for Afforestation Projects, (iii) STP Projects implemented on Hybrid Annuity Mode, (iv) Central Public Sector Enterprises for RFD/Ghat Projects,  (v) D/o Drinking Water & Sanitation and State Rural Sanitation Missions for SBM/ODF interventions in Ganga Grams and (vi) Industrial Pollution Abatement Projects.

Note 2: Out of the above mentioned disbursement/release by the NMCG, unspent grants amounting to Rs. 824.99 crore have been refunded by various implementing/executing agencies to the Consolidated Fund of India.

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