Lok Sabha Question No. 3699 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: River Pollution in Hilly Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3699

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2015

## River Pollution in Hilly Areas

3699. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government has taken cognizance of river pollution being caused due to discharging of urban "waste/effluents" in the rivers in hilly areas;
- (b) if so, the preventive measures taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c)  the  details  of  the  funds  allocated  for  the  said  purposes  during  each  of  the  last three years, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage from cities/towns constitutes a major source of pollution of rivers in the country, including those in hilly areas. 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.  This  Ministry  has  been  supplementing  the  efforts  of  the  State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and NGRBA (National Ganga River Basin Authority)  programmes,  on  cost  sharing  basis  between  the  Central  and  State Governments. Various pollution abatement schemes taken-up under these programmes, inter-alia include interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of  sewerage  systems,  setting  up  of  sewage  treatment  plants,  low  cost  sanitation facilities,  electric/improved  wood  crematoria  and  river  front  development.  The NGRBA programme along with  work of  Ganga  &  its  tributaries  is  with  Ministry  of Water  Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  from  01/08/2014 onwards. So far under the NRCP & NGRBA programmes, river pollution abatement works  amounting  to ` 408.39 crore  have  been  sanctioned  for  the  hill  States  of Uttarakhand,  Sikkim  and  Nagaland,  and  sewage  treatment  capacity  of  124  million litres per day (mld) has been created.

The Government has in 2014 also initiated an Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission  -  'Namami  Gange'  under  the  NGRBA  programme  for  consolidating  the ongoing  efforts  &  planning  for  an  integrated  and  comprehensive  action  plan  for rejuvenation of Ganga and its tributaries.

The State Governments, apart from their own budgetary allocation, are  also accessing  financial  assistance  for  creation  of  sewerage  infrastructure,  including sewage treatment plants, in various cities/towns under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) programme of Ministry of Urban Development, and  Swatch  Bharat  Abhiyan  (Gramin)  programme  of  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  & Sanitation.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued directions under Section 18 1(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 in April, 2015 to all State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees regarding treatment and utilization  of  sewage  generated  in  their  respective  States.    CPCB  has  also  issued directions  to  178  towns  under  Section  5  of  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986  for proper treatment and disposal of sewage.

(c) The details of funds released to the State Governments of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Nagaland for implementation of sanctioned  works  under  NRCP/NGRBA programmes during the last three years and current year, State-wise are at Annexure.

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Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3699 to be answered on Tuesday, the 22 nd December, 2015 on 'River Pollution in Hilly Areas'.

## Details of funds released under National River Conservation Plan & National Ganga River Basin Authority programmes for the hill states of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Nagaland

| S. No.   | State       | Rivers covered   | Funds released ( ` in crore)   | Funds released ( ` in crore)   | Funds released ( ` in crore)   | Funds released ( ` in crore)       |
|----------|-------------|------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|          |             |                  | 2012-13                        | 2013-14                        | 2014-15                        | 2015-16 (Upto 31 st October, 2015) |
| 1        | Uttarakhand | Ganga            | 11.30                          | 17.05                          | 4.25                           | 22.56                              |
| 2        | Sikkim      | Ranichu          | 21.65                          | 15.00                          | --                             | --                                 |
| 3        | Nagaland    | Dhipu & Dhansiri | --                             | --                             | --                             | 10.00                              |
|          | Total       |                  | 32.95                          | 32.05                          | 4.25                           | 32.56                              |