Lok Sabha Question No. 480 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Cleaning of Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, Shri Aashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare, Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane, Smt. Supriya Sule, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 480

ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## CLEANING OF RIVERS

480. SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE

SHRI AASHTIKAR PATIL NAGESH BAPURAO

PROF. VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD

SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL

SHRI MOHITE PATIL DHAIRYASHEEL RAJSINH

SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE

SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE

SMT. SUPRIYA SULE

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to clean the major rivers and dams in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the major challenges faced by the Government in cleaning rivers and dams and the steps being taken to address these challenges;

(c) the details of progress made in cleaning major rivers and dams in the State of Maharashtra during the last three years;

(d) the quantum of funds allocated specifically for cleaning rivers and dams in Maharashtra during the last three years and the current fiscal year; and

(e) the details of percentage of these allocated funds has been utilized along with the measures being taken to expedite the utilization of remaining funds?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) & (b) Rivers in the country are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage  from  cities/  towns  and  industrial  effluents  in  their  respective  catchments,  poor  operation  and maintenance of sewage/ effluent treatment plants, lack of dilution and non-point sources  of pollution like agricultural runoff, open defecation, runoff from solid waste dump sites, etc.

Challenges  associated  with  cleaning  of  dams  include  sheer  volume  and  weight  of  sediment accumulated, ecosystem  disruption during desiltation, remote  location of dams,  expensive and demanding technology, regulatory & legal issues, etc.

Currently, the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III Scheme (202131) is being implemented for need-based desiltation of reservoirs.

It  is  the  primary  responsibility  of  States/  Union  Territories  (UTs),  urban  local  bodies,  industrial units to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluent before discharging into rivers and other recipient water bodies, land or coastal waters for prevention and control of pollution therein.

This Ministry has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance  for  abatement  of  pollution  in  the  identified  stretches  of  rivers  in  the  country  through  the Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Namami  Gange  for  river  Ganga  and  its  tributaries,  and  the  Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers.

NRCP has so far  covered  53  rivers  in  98  towns  spreading  over  17  States  in  the  country  with  a sanctioned cost of Rs.8649.67 crore, and inter-alia, a sewage treatment capacity of 2910.50 million litres per day (MLD) has been created.  Under Namami Gange program, a total of 467 projects, including 200 projects for sewage treatment of 6217.15 MLD and a sewer network of 5282.39 kilo meter, have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.39080.70 crore against which sewerage treatment capacity of 3241.55 MLD has been created so far.

In addition, sewerage infrastructure projects funded by Government of India under programs like Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  &  Urban  Transformation  and  Smart  Cities  Mission  of  Ministry  of Housing & Urban Affairs also contribute to cleaning rivers.

(c) to (e) Under NRCP, projects for pollution abatement of rivers Mula-Mutha at Pune and Nag at Nagpur  in  Maharashtra  have  been  sanctioned  at  a  cost  of  Rs.990.26  crore  and  Rs.1926.99  crore respectively.  During  last  three  and  the  current  financial  year,  a  sum  of  Rs.239.98  crore  (Central Government share- Rs.205.99 crore and State/Urban Local Body share- Rs.33.99 crore) was allocated and fully utilized as reported by the State. Projects are being reviewed / monitored, both at Central and State levels, on regular basis.

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