Lok Sabha Question No. 4233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Punitive Action for Polluting Ganga River
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4233

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## PUNITIVE ACTION FOR POLLUTING GANGA RIVER

## †4233.  SHRI NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

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

(a) the works being undertaken by the Government for cleaning Ganga River;

(b) whether the Government has announced for punitive action or fine against the people found throwing waste into the river; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and the number of persons against whom punitive action has been taken so far, if any?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) The works being undertaken by the Government for cleaning river Ganga may be grouped under three levels of activities:

- (i) entry  level  activities -  consisting  of  cleaning  river  surface,  repair  and  modernization  of  Ghats,  provision  of public amenities, village level drain (VLD) treatment, repair and modernization of crematoria.
- (ii) Medium level activities -consisting of creation of waste management in the cities along river Ganga including setting up of Sewage treatment plants and sewage network.
- (iii) Other  Activities including  bio-diversity,  afforestation,  water  quality  monitoring  and  development  of  Ganga Grams.

As  on  30th  June  2016,  97  projects  have  been  sanctioned  under  Namami  Gange  programme  (including  the existing projects sanctioned under NGRBA 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  with  a sanctioned cost of Rs 351.42 Crores. Out of 97 projects, 32 are completed.  The Government recently launched 231 entry  level  and  medium  term  projects  under  Namami  Gange  on  7th  July,  2016.  These  projects  include  Ghat Development, Crematoria, setting up of Sewage treatment plants, afforestation etc.

Apart from above, 'River Surface and Ghat Cleaning' programme using thrash skimmer has been taken up initially in 6 cities namely Mathura-Vrindavan, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and New Delhi under the Namami Gange programme.  Also, 5 central public sector units namely WAPCOS, EIL, NBCC, NPCC and EPIL have been recently engaged to carry out of work on condition Assessment & Feasibility Study and Entry level activities under Namami Gange Programme in their respective river stretches in Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 59 towns have been surveyed so far and 27 pre-feasibility reports prepared and received. The other activities taken up under entry level activities include repair and modernization of Ghats, provision of public amenities, village level drain (VLD) treatment, repair and modernization of crematoria etc. 1242 ghats, 369 crematoria and 411 VLDs identified so far  from  the  surveys  and  out  of  these  191  Ghats  and  64  Crematoriums  are  recommended  by  Empowered  Steering Committee (ESC) till date.

(b) There are existing provisions under Environmental Protection Act (1986) and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (1974) which are sufficient to prevent dumping waste into river Ganga.

- (c) Does not arise.

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