Lok Sabha Question No. 2765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Water Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2765

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2016

## Water Pollution

## 2765. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

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  the  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO)  indicating  high  water pollution levels in Indian cities;
- (b) if so, the details and the salient features of the said reports;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  or  proposes  to  undertake  programmes  or schemes to improve water quality in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  tackle  the  issue  of  pollution  in  Indian  cities including creation of warning mechanisms in this regard?

## 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) which 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 sewage 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)&(d)   The steps taken by the Government to address the issues of water pollution include the following:-

- i. Preparation  of  action  plan  for  sewage  management  and  restoration  of  water  quality  in aquatic resources by State Governments;
- ii. Installation  of  Online  Effluent  Monitoring  System  to  check  the  discharge  of  effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies;
- iii. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality;
- iv. Action to comply with effluent standards is taken by SPCBs / PCCs to improve the water quality of the rivers;
- v. Financial assistance for installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units;
- vi. Issuance of directions for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge;
- vii. Issuance  of  directions  under  Section  5  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  to industries and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
- viii. Implementation  of  National  Lake  Conservation  Plan  (NLCP)  and  National  Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) for conservation and management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country which have been merged in February, 2013 into an integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) to undertake various  conservation  activities  including  interception,  diversion  and  treatment  of  waste water, pollution abatement, lake beautification, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation etc.

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