Lok Sabha Question No. 2543 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Release of Toxic Wastewater into Kolak and Daman Ganga River
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Patel Umeshbhai Babubhai

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2543 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

## Release of Toxic Wastewater into Kolak and Daman Ganga River

## 2543. SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI:

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

- (a) whether it is true that various industries are releasing wastewater into rivers without adequate treatment;
- (b) whether the Government is aware that the waters of the Kolak River and Daman Ganga River have become highly polluted due to release of toxic wastewater from the chemical and pharmaceutical factories in Vapi (Gujarat);
- (c) whether the Central Pollution Control Board and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board have prepared any inspection reports in this regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the concrete actions taken/being taken by the Government so far to check this pollution and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government is considering to form a Special Task Force to protect the groundwater of Daman and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e)

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC)  has  notified 'Standards for Emission or Discharge of Environmental Pollutants from various Industries' under  Schedule-I  of  the  Environment  Protection  Rules,  1986.  So  far,  79  industrial  specific environmental standards have been notified. The industrial sectors, for which specific standards are  not  available,  general  standards  as  notified  under  Schedule-VI  of  the  Environment Protection Rules, 1986 are applicable.

It is mandated for all the industries to obtain Consent to Establish/Consent to Operate from the respective State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committee (SPCBs/PCCs) as per the  provisions  of  the  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  and  the  Air (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1981.  SPCBs/PCCs  ensure  the  compliance  of prescribed standards notified by the MoEF&CC, Government of India. In the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, all industries are mandatorily required to ensure adequate treatment of wastewater and to undertake reuse and/or recycling of the treated effluent within  their  respective  premises.  Discharge  or  release  of  effluent  into  any  river  is  strictly prohibited.

Further, CPCB in association with SPCBs/PCCs monitors water quality of aquatic resources at 4922 locations under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) including 16 monitoring locations on River Damanganga and 02 monitoring locations on River Kolak. The water quality data for the monitored locations on River Damanaganga and River Kolak in the year 2024 is enclosed as Annexure-I .

CETP  Vapi  is  equipped  with  Online  Continuous  Effluent  Monitoring  Systems  (OCEMS). Monthly monitoring of the downstream stretch of River Damanganga at Kachigam Bridge is carried out after the final outlet of CETP. Data from the past year is attached as Annexure-II. The GPCB Regional Office, Vapi, conducts monthly monitoring of River Kolak at Pataliya Bridge. Data from the past year is attached as Annexure-III.

To  protect  the  groundwater  of  Daman  and  Dadra  &  Nagar  Haveli,  Central  Ground  Water Authority (CGWA) regulates ground water extraction by industrial, infrastructure and mining projects by issuing NOC to such projects as per guidelines notified by Ministry of Jal Shakti vide SO 3289(E), dated 24.09.2020 and amendments thereto vide SO 1509(E), dated 29.03.2023. These  guidelines  have  provisions  for  prevention  of  pollution/contamination  of groundwater such as following.

-  Injection of treated/untreated waste water into aquifer system is strictly prohibited.
-  Industries  which  are  likely  to  pollute  ground  water  (chemical,  pharmaceutical,  dyes, pigments,  paints,  textiles,  tannery,  pesticides/insecticides,  fertilizers,  slaughter  house, explosives etc.) shall store the harvested rain water in surface storage tanks for use in the industry and not recharge it.
-  Industries  which  are  likely  to  cause  ground  water  pollution  e.g.  Tanning,  Slaughter Houses, Dye, Chemical/ Petrochemical, Coal washeries, other hazardous units etc. (as per  CPCB list)  need  to  undertake  necessary  well  head  protection  measures  to  ensure prevention of ground water pollution.
-  The NOC issued by CGWA contains following condition.
-  'The Project Proponent shall take all necessary measures to prevent contamination of groundwater in the premises, failing which the firm shall be responsible for any consequences arising thereupon'.
-  The  guidelines  also  have  provision  for  penalty  of  Rs  10,  00,000/-  towards 'Injection of treated/untreated water into the aquifer system'. However, no such case has been reported so far.

*****

## Annexure-I

## Water quality data for the monitored locations of River Damanganaga in the year 2024

| Monitoring Location                                                                          | Dissolved O2 (mg/L)   | Dissolved O2 (mg/L)   | pH      | pH      | BOD (mg/L)   | BOD (mg/L)   | Fecal Coliform (MPN/100ml)   | Fecal Coliform (MPN/100ml)   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------|---------|--------------|--------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Monitoring Location                                                                          | Min                   | Max                   | Min     | Max     | Min          | Max          | Min                          | Max                          |
| Primary Water Quality Criteria for Outdoor Bathing                                           | >5 mg/L               | >5 mg/L               | 6.5-8.5 | 6.5-8.5 | < 3 mg/L     | < 3 mg/L     | < 2500 MPN/100 ML            | < 2500 MPN/100 ML            |
| River Damanganga at downstream of Of Madhuban, Daman                                         | 4                     | 7.4                   | 7.34    | 8.42    | 1            | 1            | 2                            | 13                           |
| River Damanganga at Zari Cause Way Bridge, Daman                                             | 3.2                   | 7.5                   | 7.28    | 8.12    | 1            | 8            | 11                           | 900                          |
| River Damanganga at discharge point Of Distillery, Daman                                     | 2.5                   | 5.3                   | 7.6     | 7.99    | 2.2          | 9            | 900                          | 900                          |
| River Damanganga at Daman Jetty, Moti Daman                                                  | 4.1                   | 7.5                   | 7.52    | 8.1     | 1            | 10           | 110                          | 1600                         |
| River Damanganga at Vapi Weir, Vapi, Daman                                                   | 5.8                   | 7.4                   | 7.7     | 8.3     | 1            | 3            | 60                           | 280                          |
| River Damanganga at Lavacha Temple, Silvassa                                                 | 5.8                   | 7.5                   | 7.81    | 8.67    | 1            | 4            | 6                            | 280                          |
| River Damanganga downstream of M/s Surat Beverages, Village Dadra, Silvassa                  | 5.6                   | 7.5                   | 7.75    | 8.47    | 1            | 2            | 70                           | 500                          |
| River Damanganga at Naroli Bridge, Silvassa                                                  | 4.9                   | 7.6                   | 7.79    | 8.54    | 1            | 2            | 2                            | 50                           |
| River Damanganga at Village Namdha, Vapi                                                     | 1.9                   | 6.9                   | 7.53    | 7.98    | 1            | 6            | 60                           | 900                          |
| River Daman Ganga At Zeri Causeway Bridge, Daman (Gujarat And U/S of Daman, Diu,Dadar& Nagar | 2.7                   | 6.3                   | 7.56    | 7.78    | 2.2          | 9.5          | 9400                         | 540000                       |
| Haveli And Gujarat) River Damanganga At Kachigaon U\S At Gidc Wier, River Damanganga at Gidc | 6.8                   | 7.2                   | 7.45    | 8.06    | 1            | 1            | 12                           | 34                           |
| River Damanganga At Kachigaon D\S                                                            | 5.4                   | 7                     | 7.21    | 8.03    | 1            | 1.6          | 17                           | 94                           |

| (Daman),River Damanganga at Kachigaon Bridge                                                                         |     |    |     |      |    |     |    |      |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----|----|-----|------|----|-----|----|------|
| River Daman Ganga At D/S Of Gidc Weir, Near Nh-48, Vapi, Gujarat (U/S of Daman,Diu,Dadar & Nagar Haveli And Gujarat) | 6.5 |  8 | 7.2 | 8.48 |  1 | 2.6 | 68 | 7900 |

## Water quality data for the monitored locations of River Kolak in the year 2024

| Monitoring Location                                 | Dissolved O2 (mg/L)   | Dissolved O2 (mg/L)   | pH      | pH      | BOD (mg/L)   | BOD (mg/L)   | Fecal Coliform (MPN/100ml)   | Fecal Coliform (MPN/100ml)   |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------|---------|--------------|--------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
|                                                     | Min                   | Max                   | Min     | Max     | Min          | Max          | Min                          | Max                          |
| Primary Water Quality Criteria for Outdoor Bathing  | >5 mg/L               | >5 mg/L               | 6.5-8.5 | 6.5-8.5 | < 3 mg/L     | < 3 mg/L     | < 2500 MPN/100 ML            | < 2500 MPN/100 ML            |
| River Kolak at Patalia Bridge                       | 5.8                   | 7                     | 7.25    | 8.09    | 1            | 1.4          | 13                           | 58                           |
| River Kolak at Railway Bridge No. 313 Vapi, Valsad, | 5.8                   | 6.9                   | 7.31    | 8.08    | 1            | 1.5          | 14                           | 43                           |

Annexure - II Analysis results of water sample collected from River Damanganga downstream at

Kachigam bridge, at-Kachigam for period Jan 2025 to Jan 2026

| Parameters   | pH      | BOD (mg/L)   | DO (mg/L)   |
|--------------|---------|--------------|-------------|
| Month &year  |         |              |             |
| Limit        | 5.5-9.0 | 30           | 4           |
| 01/01/2025   | 7.57    | 1.5          | 6.4         |
| 03/02/2025   | 8.17    | 1.4          | 6.5         |
| 03/03/2025   | 7.88    | 1.5          | 6.4         |
| 01/04/2025   | 7.73    | 1.5          | 6.5         |
| 02/05/2025   | 7.16    | 1.5          | 6.1         |
| 03/06/2025   | 8.25    | 1.6          | 6.7         |
| 03/07/2025   | 7.73    | 1.3          | 6.9         |
| 05/08/2025   | 7.86    | 1            | 6.9         |
| 01/09/2025   | 7.32    | 1            | 6.8         |
| 04/10/2025   | 7.44    | 1            | 7           |
| 06/11/2025   | 7.60    | 1            | 6.8         |
| 02/12/2025   | 7.28    | 1.1          | 6.8         |
| Average      | 7.7     | 1.3          | 6.65        |

| Parameters Month &year   | pH      |   BOD (mg/L) |   DO (mg/L) |
|--------------------------|---------|--------------|-------------|
| Limit                    | 5.5-9.0 |         30   |         4   |
| 02/01/2026               | 7.50    |          1.1 |         6.8 |
| Average                  | 7.50    |          1.1 |         6.8 |

Annexure - III Analysis results of water sample collected from River Kolak at Patalia Bridge, Patalia

Vapi for period Jan 2025 to Jan 2026

| Parameters   | pH      | BOD    | DO (mg/L)   |
|--------------|---------|--------|-------------|
| Month &year  |         | (mg/L) |             |
| Limit        | 5.5-9.0 | 30     | 4           |
| 03/01/2025   | 7.84    | 1      | 6.9         |
| 01/02/2025   | 7.45    | 1.1    | 6.8         |
| 01/03/2025   | 7.95    | 1.1    | 6.9         |
| 02/04/2025   | 7.54    | 1.6    | 6           |
| 01/05/2025   | 7.33    | 1.4    | 6.5         |
| 02/06/2025   | 7.63    | 1.5    | 6.6         |
| 02/07/2025   | 7.58    | -      | 6.9         |
| 03/08/2025   | 7.95    | 1      | 6.9         |
| 01/09/2025   | 7.6     | 1.1    | 6.8         |
| 03/10/2025   | 7.52    | 1.2    | 6.9         |
| 04/11/2025   | 7.62    | 1.2    | 6.8         |
| 01/12/2025   | 7.21    | 1.3    | 6.9         |
| Average      | 7.60    | 1.23   | 6.74        |

| Parameters Month &year   | pH      |   BOD (mg/L) |   DO (mg/L) |
|--------------------------|---------|--------------|-------------|
| Limit                    | 5.5-9.0 |         30   |         4   |
| 01/01/2026               | 7.81    |          1.3 |         6.9 |
| Average                  | 7.81    |          1.3 |         6.9 |