Lok Sabha Question No. 2437 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-03
Subject: Pollution in Water Bodies
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2437

ANSWERED ON 03.08.2023

## POLLUTION IN WATER BODIES

†2437. SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of the huge levels of pollution in water bodies in the country; (b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to check/control the pollution of water resources due to industrial waste; (c) whether any industry in Uttar Pradesh is found to be polluting the water resources; and (d) if so, the action taken by the Government against such industrial units?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Water being a State subject, it is the responsibility of the States/UTs and local bodies to monitor the levels, and also to take corrective steps for addressing pollution of water bodies in their respective jurisdiction.

However,  in  association  with  the  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  (SPCBs)/  Pollution  Control Committees  (PCCs),  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  monitors  water  quality  of  aquatic resources  at  4,484  locations  including  2,108  monitoring  locations  on  rivers  and  437  monitoring locations  on  lakes  under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). Based on water quality assessment of lakes, ponds & tanks during the year 2021, out of 599 locations monitored by CPCB, 498 locations were found to be not complying to the primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing.

(b) The mandate to  check/control  the pollution of  water resources,  including  the  pollution  due  to industrial waste, lies in the domain of the State Government. However, some of the initiatives taken by the Government of India to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, are given below.

1. Regulation  of  industrial  Pollution  is  implemented  through  various  provisions  of  Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 under consent mechanism by the respective State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Pollution Control Committee (PCC).
2. Installation  of  Online  Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring  Systems  (OCEMS) by  the  industrial units in the country through directives issued by CPCB for getting real time information on the effluent quality. Based on the OCEMS data, non-complying unit have been identified for follow-up inspections and actions.
3. Stipulation of general discharge standards and industry specific effluent discharge standards under Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986.
4. Enforcement of stringent norms, especially zero liquid discharge in certain feasible industrial sectors and persistent defaulters.
5. In the year 2018, industrial estate and clusters numbering 100 were assessed in the country, and their comprehensive environment pollution index (CEPI) has been worked out. Based on CEPI  score,  the  critically  polluted  areas  have  been  identified  to  take  necessary  measures through time-targeted action plans.
6. 'Revised  Guidelines  for  Idol  Immersion,  2020'  are  being  implemented  with  effect  from 01.01.2021 throughout the country.
7. Under Namami Gange program, annual inspection of the grossly polluting industries (GPIs) are  carried  out  through  technical  institutes  in  five  Ganga  main  stem  states  of  Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal since 2017, and in four Yamuna main stem states of Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi since 2020.
8. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is also engaged in monitoring of industries and CETPs located on the bank of river Ganga .

(c) & (d) In year 2023, inspection of 1,647 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) located in Uttar Pradesh was carried out by 13 technical/expert institutes like, IITs, NITs, NEERI etc. Action on non-compliant GPIs are being taken by Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB). Till date UPPCB has taken action on 197 non-compliant GPIs, which includes 163 show cause notices and 34 closure directions.

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