Lok Sabha Question No. 3689 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-09
Subject: Surface Water Pollution
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3689

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09/08/2016

## Surface Water Pollution

## 3689. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

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

- (a) the measures being taken by the Government to assess and deal with the growing problem of pollution of surface water in the country;
- (b) the number of water treatment plants currently operating in the country till June 2016; and
- (c)  whether  the  number  of  such  plants  are  adequate,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the corrective steps being taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) 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  State  Pollution  Control Boards  /  Pollution  Control  Committees  (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  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  for  abatement  of pollution  in  identified  stretches  of  various  rivers  and  undertaking  conservation activities  which inter-alia include  interception  &  diversion  of  raw  sewage, construction of sewerage systems, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation facilities,  education and awareness creation, community participation, electric/improved wood crematoria and river front development.
- (b) According  to  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB),  there  are  816  Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) located in different States/UTs; out of which, 522 STPs are operational, 79 STPs are non-operational, 145 STPs are under construction and 70 STPs are under planning stage.
- (c) The treatment capacity of operational STPs is not adequate due to an existing gap of more  than  38600  KLD  in  sewage  generation  and  treatment.  CPCB  has  issued directions to all SPCBs / PCCs to make it mandatory for local / urban bodies to set up STPs of adequate capacity and provide underground sewerage system to cover areas and bridge the treatment gap. CPCB has issued directions to Municipal authorities of 46  metropolitan  cities  and  20  State  capitals  and  118  Ganga  basin  towns/  cities  for treatment and utilization of sewage for restoration of water quality of rivers.

*****