(a) whether the indiscriminate application of synthetic fertilizers has been polluting water bodies and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has taken steps to identify the problems and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government has taken any measures to combat the damage by the pollutants and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) & (b) Water bodies in the country are polluted due to multiple reasons including discharge of untreated sewage, industrial effluent, agricultural runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides, etc. The CPCB is monitoring the water quality of both surface and ground water under the National Water Monitoring Programme (NWMP) through a network of monitoring stations in the country. The water quality is assessed for various parameters, including physico-chemical, bacteriological, heavy metals, pesticides, etc.
(c)The steps taken by the Government to check the pollution of water bodies, inter alia, include formulation and notification of standards for effluents from industries, operations or processes; enforcing of these standards by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) through consent mechanism and regular monitoring; setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality; installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring systems (OCEMS) to check the discharge of effluent directly into water bodies; promotion of cleaner production processes; installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units; issuance of directions for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge in certain categories of highly polluting industries; issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, etc.
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