Question : Effluents Polluting Ganga River

(a) whether ill-planning and unscientific approach by the authorities has to led to the chaotic condition faced by the river Ganga, if so, the facts in this regard and the response of the Government thereon;
(b) whether the Government has imposed a complete ban on use of plastic of any kind along the river, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has decided to slap a penalty of Rs. 5000 per day on erring buildings spewing waste into river Ganga;
(d) if so, the number of such buildings fined so far; and
(e) the action proposed to be taken by the Government to clean the river fully?

(a) Pollution loads in river Ganga has increased over the years due to rapid urbanisation, industrialization and increase in population. Extraction of water for irrigation, industrial, drinking purposes etc. leading to inadequate flows has also compounded the problem. There is a very large gap between the quantum of pollution loads like sewage and industrial effluents being discharged into the rivers and the available treatment capacity.
Cabinet approved the Namami Gange program on 13th May, 2015 to rejuvenate the river Ganga and it’s all tributaries by integrating the ongoing projects and new projects by adopting a holistic approach with the river basin as the unit of planning.
(b) to (d) The Government of India has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 on March, 2016. As per the rule ‘4’ of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016, manufacture, import, stock, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags, plastic sheets or like, having thickness less than 50 µm is not permitted throughout India including areas along Ganga River.
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environmental Protection (EP) Act, 1986 have sufficient provisions to take action against industries and buildings spewing waste into river Ganga. Directions have been issued under section 5 of Environmental Protection (EP) Act to 118 Municipalities of Ganga front towns for management of sewage & solid waste.
(e) Under Namami Gange Programme a holistic approach has been adopted to clean the river Ganga. Projects under Namami Gange Programme, inter-alia, include upgradation of existing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), construntion of new STPs and ETPs with an aim to stop untreated sewage and industrial wastes falling in the river and rural sanitation in villages on the bank of river Ganga.
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