Lok Sabha Question No. 3045 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-04
Subject: Ganga River Cleaning Projects
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: A.T. (NANA) PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3045 ANSWERED ON 04.08.2016

## GANGA RIVER CLEANING PROJECTS

†3045. SHRI  A.T.  NANA  PATIL

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION  be pleased to state:

(a) the State-wise number of projects implemented so far for cleaning Ganga river;

(b) the extent of improvement noticed in water quality of Ganga river as a result of the same; and

(c)  the  strategy  prepared  by  the  Government  to  create  awareness  among  the  people  living  in villages situated on the banks of Ganga river regarding its cleanliness?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)

(a)   As on 30 th June 2016, 97 projects have been sanctioned under Namami Gange programme in  53  towns  at  an  estimated  project  cost  of  Rs.  8588.21  Crores.  Out  of  these  12  projects  are sanctioned  exclusively  under  new  components  of  Namami  Gange  programme  at  a  sanctioned cost of Rs 351.42 Crores. Out of the 97 projects, 32 are completed, in the states of Uttarakhand (23 projects in 12 towns); Uttar Pradesh (15 projects in 8 towns); Bihar (14 projects in 5 towns); Jharkhand (1 project); West Bengal (30 projects in 24 towns); Haryana (2 Projects in 2 towns) and in Delhi  (1 project).

In addition 3 projects on Water quality Monitoring of river Ganga ; two on Ganga Knowledge Centre;one  on  Educating  Schools  and  communities  for  conserving  habitat  of  Ganga  river Dolphin; DPR preparation for 'Forestry Intervention for river Ganga'. -  Completed; one project on Assessment of Water Quality and Sediment Analysis to understand the special properties of river  Ganga; one on Assessment of fish & fisheries of the Ganga river system for developing suitable  conservation  &  restoration  plan;  one  project  on  Rural  Sanitation initiatives  for  Ganga Rejuvenation  in  Jharkhand-UNDP;  and  one  project  on  Biodiversity  Conservation  and  Ganga Rejuvenation given to WII, have also been taken up.

- (b)   The Central Pollution Control Board is monitoring the water quality of river Ganga from Gangotri  to  Diamond  Harbour  at  57  locations.    Analysis  of  data  shows  that  the  river  water quality is conforming to the bathing criteria for DO at most of the locations from 2011 to 2015. The  analysis  also  reveals  that  the  compliance  in  respect  of  BOD  is  improving;  however,  the compliance of Fecal Coliform is decreasing.

The status of compliance of bathing water quality criteria is depicted below:

|      | BOD                                                | BOD                                                      | BOD                                      | Faecal Coliform                                    | Faecal Coliform                                                    | Faecal Coliform                         |
|------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Year | Data available from number of monitoring locations | Locations Meeting the bathing criteria for BOD (<3 mg/l) | % compliance to bathing criteria for BOD | Data available from number of monitoring locations | Locations Meeting the bathing criteria for FC (<2500 MPN / 100 ml) | % compliance to bathing criteria for FC |
| 2011 | 53                                                 | 29                                                       | 55                                       | 54                                                 | 20                                                                 | 37                                      |
| 2012 | 55                                                 | 28                                                       | 51                                       | 49                                                 | 17                                                                 | 35                                      |
| 2013 | 55                                                 | 30                                                       | 55                                       | 46                                                 | 20                                                                 | 43                                      |
| 2014 | 50                                                 | 28                                                       | 56                                       | 40                                                 | 11                                                                 | 28                                      |
| 2015 | 54                                                 | 34                                                       | 63                                       | 43                                                 | 15                                                                 | 35                                      |

- (c)    Under the Namami Gange Programme, in addition to the overall communication specific to villages  following  interventions  are  being  undertaken  (i)  Develop  Ganga  Grams  for  which sanitation  related  awareness  and  facilities  shall  be  created.  (ii)  Gram  Pradhans  are  regularly visiting  Seenchewal  village  to  understand  and  replicate  Seenchewal  model.    (iii)  Youth volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan will also carry out public outreach and awareness activities  in  villages.    (iv)  Ministry  of  HRD  under  its  Adult  Literacy  programme  has  also developed  relevant  educational  material  by  the  name  of  'Ganga  Rahi  Pukar,    for  wide distribution.

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