Lok Sabha Question No. 2634 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Water Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2634

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2015

## Water Pollution

## 2634.   SHRI RABINDRA KUMARJENA:

## SHRI KUNWARPUSHPENDRA SINGHCHANDEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of reports by the Central Pollution Control Board  (CPCB)  and  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO)  indicating  high  water pollution levels in our cities;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has undertaken/proposes to undertake programmes/schemes to  improve  water  and  air  quality  including  setting  up  of  monitoring  centers  in  the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the funds allocated/utilised in this regard, State/UTwise;
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the details of steps taken by the Government to tackle the issue of pollution in Indian cities, including creation of warning mechanisms?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a)&(b)The  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  association  with  State  Pollution Control  Boards(SPCBs)/Pollution  Control  Committees(PPCs)  is  monitoring  the  quality  of water bodies at 2500 locations across the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme  (NWQMP).  The  monitoring  results  indicate  that  organic  pollution  is  the predominant cause of water pollution. Based on the magnitude of organic pollution, CPCB in 2008  identified  150  polluted  river  stretches  which  increased  to  302  in  2015.  The  rivers stretches  are  polluted  mainly  due  to  discharge  of  untreated  /  partially  treated  water  and discharge of industrial wastewater.

CPCB assessed the total volume of municipal wastewater generation in the country at about 61,948 MLD as against the installed sewage treatment capacity of 23,277 MLD leaving a  wide  gap  of  more  than  38,671  MLD.  Similar  observations  were  made  by  WHO  in  its reports on water pollution.

(c)Apart  from  monitoring  of  water  bodies  at  2500  locations  nationwide  under  NWQMP, CPCB  in association with SPCBs/PCCs initiated National Air Quality Monitoring Programme  (NAQMP)  in  1984.  Presently, the network comprises of 612 operating monitoring  stations  located  in  254  cities/towns  covering  29  states  and  5  union  territories across the country. Under NAMP, three air pollutants viz ., Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter size equal to or less than 10 micron (PM10) have been identified for regular monitoring at all the locations.

(d)&(e)  To undertake programmes/ schemes for improvement of water and air quality, this Ministry provides 'Assistance for Abatement of pollution' and financial support for setting up of Common Effluent Treatment Plants. Also, the NAQMP is implemented in association with CPCB and SPCBs/ PCCs. The details of financial support provided for these schemes are given at Annexure I and Annexure II respectively.

- (f)    The steps taken to tackle the issues of water pollution in Indian cities are:-
- Direction  issued  to  SPCBs  under  Section  18  (1)  b  of  the  Water  (Prevention  & Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  to  direct  concerned  agencies  in  the  state/UT  to develop infrastructure for sewage treatment.
- Direction  issued  to  concerned  municipal  corporations/  local  authorities  under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act,1986 for treatment and utilization of sewage for restoration of water quality of rivers.
- Action  to  comply  witheffluentstandards  is  taken  by  SPCBs/PCCs  to  improve  the water quality of the rivers.
- Installing of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units and directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is also given to all CETPs to install continuous effluent monitoring system to comply with the stipulated standards.
- Issuance of directions under Section 18(1) b of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) in the industrial sector for control of pollution.
- Communication  to  the  Chief  Secretaries  for  preparing  action  plan  for  sewage management and restoration of water quality in aquatic resources.

The major steps taken to tackle the issues of air pollution in Indian cities include:-

- National Air Quality index launched by the Prime Minister in April, 2015 starting with 14 cities;
- Notification  of  National  Ambient  Air  Quality  Standards  2009,  envisaging  12 pollutants;
- Ban on burning of leaves, biomass, municipal solid waste;
- Formulation of regulations/statutes;
- Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality;
- Introduction of cleaner/alternate fuels and promotion of public transport network;
- Creation of infrastructure for pollution control.

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ANNEXURE I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (D)  AND  (E)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARED QUESTION NO. 2634 DUE FOR REPLY ON 15/12/2015 REGARDING WATER POLLUTION RAISED BY SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA AND SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL.

Funds released under the Scheme 'Assistance for Abatement of Pollution'/Common Effluent Treatment Plants during the last three years and the current year

(Rs. In lakh)

| S. No.   | SPCB/PCC                                                       |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 | 2015-16 (till 30.11.2015)   |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------|
| 1.       | Assam                                                          |      4.66 |     31.13 |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 2.       | Chandigarh                                                     |      9.7  |     27.95 |      0    | 44.25                       |
| 3.       | Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi (NGO) - for Training |     37.55 |      0    |     32.75 | 60.00                       |
| 4.       | Goa                                                            |      0    |      6.75 |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 5.       | Gujarat                                                        |    420    |    545    |    840    | 756.00                      |
| 6.       | Himachal Pradesh                                               |      0    |      0    |     50    | 00.00                       |
| 7.       | Karnataka                                                      |     96.47 |      0    |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 8.       | Manipur                                                        |     34.85 |     23.74 |     38.16 | 47.52                       |
| 9.       | Meghalaya                                                      |     38.33 |      0    |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 10.      | Mizoram                                                        |     51.05 |     36.34 |    185    |                             |
| 11.      | Nagaland                                                       |     17.25 |      0    |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 12.      | Sikkim                                                         |     15.4  |      0    |      0    | 00.00                       |
| 13.      | Tripura                                                        |     14.19 |     23.15 |      0    | 00.00                       |
| TOTAL    | TOTAL                                                          |    739.45 |    694.06 |   1145.91 | 907.77                      |

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (D)  AND  (E)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARED QUESTION NO. 2634 DUE FOR REPLY ON 15/12/2015 REGARDING WATER POLLUTION RAISED BY SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA AND SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL.

Details  of  Payment Released to Various Monitoring Agencies under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) till November 2015:

| S.No .   | Name of Monitoring Agency   | 2012-13 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2013-14 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2014-15 (Amount in Rs.)   | 2015-16 (Amount in Rs.) till Nov. 2015   |
|----------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh SPCB         | 9365000                   | 8450000                   | 7666250                   | -                                        |
| 2.       | Assam SPCB                  | 2920000                   | 8690000                   | 7842500                   | -                                        |
| 3.       | Chandigarh PCC              | 248333                    | 1986667                   | -                         | -                                        |
| 4.       | Chattisgarh ECB             | 1373750                   | -                         | -                         | 1526250                                  |
| 5.       | Gujarat SPCB                | 805000                    | 3809583                   | -                         | -                                        |
| 6.       | Goa SPCB                    | 9248000                   | 8882500                   | 7125000                   | 7789333                                  |
| 7.       | Jharkhand SPCB              | 1960000                   | -                         | -                         | -                                        |
| 8.       | Himachal Pradesh SEP & PCB  | 3480000                   | 5578333                   | -                         | 10128333                                 |
| 9.       | Karnataka SPCB              | 2867500                   | -                         | 354167                    | 6749583                                  |
| 10.      | Kerala SPCB                 | 3808333                   | -                         | 6474167                   | -                                        |
| 11.      | Maharashtra SPCB            | 9428750                   | 7467083                   | -                         | -                                        |
| 12.      | Meghalaya SPCB              | 2496667                   | 2297500                   | -                         | 7845833                                  |
| 13.      | Madhya Pradesh SPCB         | 5153583                   | -                         | -                         | -                                        |
| 14.      | Mizoram SPCB                | 472500                    | 5931667                   | 1765000                   | 5413333                                  |
| 15.      | Nagaland SPCB               | 793333                    | 1360000                   | 906667                    | -                                        |
| 16.      | Orissa SPCB                 | 3956417                   | -                         | 5734583                   | -                                        |
| 17.      | Punjab SPCB                 | -                         | -                         | 7795417                   | -                                        |
| 18.      | Pondicherry PCC             | 1266000                   | -                         | -                         | -                                        |
| 19.      | Rajasthan SPCB              | 4788750                   | -                         | -                         | 4218750                                  |
| 20.      | Tamil Nadu SPCB             | 5327000                   | 4399166                   | 2358333                   | -                                        |
| 21.      | Uttar Pradesh SPCB          | 4150000                   | 9586667                   | -                         | 7263333                                  |
| 22.      | Uttarakhand EP&PCB          | -                         | 3694334                   | -                         | 4085833                                  |
| 23.      | NEERI                       | 4860000                   | -                         | 7047000                   | 10800000                                 |
| 24.      | IIT Kanpur                  | 458366                    | 450000                    | 3709378                   | -                                        |
|          | Total =                     | 79227282                  | 72583500                  | 58778462                  | 65820581                                 |

Legends:

SPCB - State Pollution Control Board, SEP&PCB - State Environment Protection & Pollution Control Board, EP& PCB - Environment Protection & Pollution Control Board, PCC -  Pollution  Control  Committee.  NEERI  is  at  present  monitoring  in  6  cities  in  5  different states/Union territories  namely  Delhi,  Maharashtra,  West  Bengal,  Tamil  Nadu  and  Andhra Pradesh.

Source:  Central Pollution Control Board,

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