Lok Sabha Question No. 1972 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-05
Subject: Agreements for Cleaning of Water Resources
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SUDHEER GUPTA, PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY, K. MARAGATHAM, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SUSHMITA DEV, SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV, DHARMENDRA YADAV, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, RAMESH BIDHURI, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, Shrirang Appa Barne, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1972

ANSWERED ON 05.05.2016

## AGREEMENTS FOR CLEANING OF WATER RESOURCES

1972.  SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL

SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has entered into a slew of agreements with Germany, Israel and the United Kingdom to clean and conserve its polluted and dwindling water resources including Ganga, Yamuna and other rivers;
- (b) if so, the details along with aims and objectives thereof including the extent of financial assistance involved therein;
- (c) the reasons for seeking international help to clean and conserve our polluted water resources;
- (d) the details of benefits and technical support likely to accrue therefrom including time schedule fixed in this regard; and
- (e)  the  measures  the  Government  has  taken  for  cleaning  and  conserving  the  polluted  water  resources other than Ganga River?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

## (SUSHRI UMA BHARTI)

- (a)  Yes,  Madam.  Many  countries  such  as  England,  Germany,  Australia,  Canada,  Singapore,  Israel, Netherlands  and  European  Union  have  expressed  interest  to  support  Ganga  Rejuvenation  through knowledge/technology  sharing,  capacity  building,  research  &  development,  sharing  of  experiences, expertise & best practices, as well as by providing financial assistance. This Ministry is in continuous dialogue with the relevant organizations of these countries to facilitate a fruitful involvement of foreign countries in Ganga Rejuvenation. Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between  this  Ministry  and  Germany  through  its  representative  agency  Deutsche  Gesellschaft  fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (GIZ India), as part of Indo-German Cooperation for Ganga

Rejuvenation.  This  Ministry  has  also  prepared  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  for  bilateral cooperation in Water Resources Management and Development with Israel and the Union Cabinet has approved the same.

(b) The objective of the Indo-German cooperation is to integrate various approaches in the implementation  of  the  Namami  Gange  Programme  by  providing  support  at  National  and  state  level particularly for the Uttarakhand state.The project is for a period of three years and the activities to be covered  under  this  agreement  are  (i)  Technical  knowledge/expert  exchange,  (ii)  Information/data management, (iii) Public outreach/communication and (iv) Capacity building at national and state level. Germany has committed 3 million Euro technical assistance for Ganga Rejuvenation.

(c)  &  (d)  The  main  reason  for  seeking  international  support  is  to  learn  and  adapt  best  practices/ technological  knowhow  and  institutional/governance  framework  available  across  the  globe  so  as  to ensure optimal utilization of the resources available for Ganga rejuvenation.

(e) It is the responsibility of the State Governments/ concerned local bodies to set up proper facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage being generated and ensure that untreated sewage does not fall into the rivers thereby polluting them. Pollution abatement in river Ganga and its tributaries is being  undertaken  by  Ministry  of  Water  Resources,  River  Development  and  Ganga  Rejuvenation (MOWR,  RD  &  GR)  under  Namami  Gange  programme  while  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  & Climate  Change  (MoEF  &  CC)  has  been  supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in abatement  of  pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  various  rivers  under  the  National  River  Conservation Plan (NRCP).

Under  NGRBA,  96  projects  has  been  sanctioned  in  53  towns.    These  include  58  projects  related  to creation  of  808.23  MLD  new  STP  and  rehabilitation  of  1089.00  MLD  and  laying  /  rehabilitation  of 3627.15 Km sewer network. As on 29 th Feb 2016, 28 infrastructure schemes have been completed and a treatment capacity of 126.5 mld created.

NRCP  (excluding  Ganga  and  its  tributaries)  has  covered  polluted  stretches  of  31  rivers  in  75  towns spread  over  14  States  at  a  sanctioned  cost  of  Rs.4517.82  crore.  Execution  of  sanctioned  works  under NRCP is carried out by the implementing agencies of the State Governments. Sewage treatment capacity of 2373 million litres per day (mid) (excluding Ganga and its tributaries) has been created so far under NRCP.

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