Lok Sabha Question No. 1385 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-03
Subject: Dead Rivers
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1385

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.05.2016

## Dead Rivers

1385. SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

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

- (a) the total number of rivers declared dead during the last ten years in the country, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government so far, to protect/revive these rivers; and
- (c) the total budget allocated to revive the dead rivers during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As  per  the  report  published  by  Central  Pollution  Control  Board    (CPCB)  in February 2015, 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers in the country,      based  on  Bio-chemical  Oxygen  Demand  (BOD)  levels,  a  key  indicator  of organic pollution.
- (b) & (c) 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.  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.  The  programmes  of  NRCP  &  NGRBA  (till 31/07/2014) have  so far covered polluted stretches of 43 rivers  in 200 towns spread over 21 States. Sewage treatment capacity of 5169 million litres per day (mld) has been created  so  far  under  these  two  programmes.    The  details  of  budget  allocation  made during the last three years under the NRCP & NGRBA/Namami Gange programmes are as under :

| Financial Year   | Funds allocated ( ` in crore)   | Funds allocated ( ` in crore)   |
|------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|                  | NRCP                            | NGRBA/Namami Gange              |
| 2013-14          | 158.69                          | 309.00                          |
| 2014-15          | 77.80                           | 2053.00                         |
| 2015-16          | 66.73                           | 1650.00                         |
| 2016-17          | 95.00                           | 2500.00                         |

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.

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

To control discharge of industrial effluents, CPCB and respective State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees monitor industries with respect to effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act,  1974  and  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  To improve the monitoring of compliance, directions have been issued to specific industries to install online 24x7 effluent and emission monitoring devices.    Steps have also been taken  by  CPCB  to  promote  low  waste  and  no  waste  concept  leading  to  Zero  Liquid Discharge by grossly water polluting industries, particularly those located on the river banks.

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