Lok Sabha Question No. 6286 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Discharge of Untreated Industrial Waste and Sewage into Rivers
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6286

ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026

## DISCHARGE OF UNTREATED INDUSTRIAL WASTE AND SEWAGE INTO RIVERS

## †6286. SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE:

## Dr. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE:

## Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the immediate steps being taken by the Government to prevent the discharge of untreated industrial waste and sewage into rivers across the country, particularly in Maharashtra;

(b) whether the Government has conducted any scientific study recently to assess the health risks faced by local communities due to polluted river water in the State and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to declare those critical regions where pollution level exceeds the safe limit, as 'National River Emergency Zones' and if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  whether  the  Government  also  proposes  to  involve  local  communities,  religious  institutions  and volunteers in river rejuvenation efforts under a nationwide 'Jan Bhagidari' initiative and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) Cleaning of rivers is a continuous process. It is the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories (UTs) to ensure proper treatment of sewage to the prescribed standards before discharge into the rivers or other  water  bodies.  Discharge  of  industrial  Effluents  is  monitored  by  Central  Pollution  Control  Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards/ Committee under the provision of Environment (Protection) Act,  1986  and  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974.   The  Central  Government  has notified  general  discharge  standards  and  also  industry  specific  effluent  discharge  standards  under  the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 to be complied by the industrial units, Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and/or Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for prevention and control of pollution in water bodies.  In case of non-compliance, punitive actions are taken by the regulatory bodies under the relevant statutory provisions.

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

Under  NRCP,  STPs  of  28  million  litres  per  day  (MLD)  at  Karad,  27  MLD  at  Sangli,  78  MLD  at Kolhapur, 26 MLD at Nanded, 100 MLD at Nashik, 1 MLD at Trimbakeshwar and 74 MLD at Pune have been  created  for  pollution  abatement  of  rivers  Krishna,  Panchganga,  Godavari  and  Mula-Mutha  in Maharashtra.

(b) In order to use river water for different purposes, CPCB sets distinct quality criteria for river water categorizing it based on its intended use. For drinking purposes water must meet Class A standards after disinfection and no conventional treatment and Class B for outdoor bathing. As per information available in Ministry of Jal Shakti there is no scientific study being conducted to assess health hazards faced by local communities due to contaminated river water.

(c) Under  the  National  Water  Quality  Monitoring  Programme  (NWMP),  CPCB,  in  association  with Pollution  Control  Boards/  Committees  in  different  States/Union  Territories  (UTs),  monitors  the  water quality of rivers and other water bodies through a network of 4922 monitoring stations. Of these, 2265 locations are on rivers across the country, inclusive of 182 locations on rivers in Maharashtra. Based on the  organic  load measured in  terms  of  biochemical  oxygen  demand  (BOD)  concentration,  locations/ stretches not meeting the primary water quality criterion for outdoor bathing are identified as polluted river  stretches  (PRS)  as  Priority-I  with  BOD  >  30.0  milligram  per  litre  (mg/l),  Priority-II  (20.1-30.0 mg/l), Priority-III (10.1-20.0 mg/l), Priority-IV (6.1-10.0 mg/l) and Priority-V (3.1-6.0 mg/l). The latest report published by CPCB in 2025 is available at https://cpcb.nic.in/reports- 3/. In Maharashtra, 54 PRS were identified in 2025.

(d) Under NRCP and Namami Gange, financial assistance is provided to the participating States/UTs for undertaking  various  conservation/rejuvenation  activities  including  education  and  awareness  among  the local people, students and stakeholders on the value, functions and ecological service of rivers through awareness campaign/publications, pamphlets, video films, yatra, slogan, drawings/essay competition etc. 'Jan Ganga' is an important pillar of the Namami Gange which focuses on public awareness and building community ownership to transform river conservation through public engagement. 139 District Ganga Committees  (DGCs)  have  been  constituted  across  the  5  Ganga  Basin  States  to  oversee  the  pollution abatement and ensure people's participation at the district level. Further, the volunteer cadres including Ganga Vichaar Manch, Ganga/Yamuna Task Force, Ganga Prahari, Ganga Sewa Doots etc. are engaged to organize awareness campaigns and other IEC activities in schools, colleges and communities.

In 2021, Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA):Catch the Rain was expanded across the country with a focus on rainwater harvesting, inventory and rejuvenation of water bodies, establishment of Jal Shakti Kendras, afforestation activities and intensive awareness generation. To further strengthen JSA:Catch the Rain, the Jal  Sanchay  Jan  Bhagidari  (JSJB)  initiative  was  launched  in  Surat  on  6 th September,  2024.  The programme  emphasizes  people's  participation  and  collective  efforts  for  water  conservation  at  the grassroots level.

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