Question : CHECK ON COASTAL POLLUTION



(a) whether the Government has noticed the plight of coastal pollution in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof coastal area-wise including Andhra Pradesh; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)

(a)to(c) Monitoring of marine pollution through Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System Programme is being carried out by Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management Project Directorate ,Chennai under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. The State Pollution Control Boards are regulating water pollution under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 including discharge of wastewater to coastal areas. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has laid down effluent standards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in order to ensure that the industries comply with the prescribed standards. The coastal stretches have also been declared as Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) imposing restriction on industries, operations and process in the CRZ.

The following steps have been taken to prevent and control coastal pollution;

i. Control of Industrial pollution under the provision of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

ii. Ensuring pollution control compliance in 17 categories of highly polluting industries.

iii. Urban centers discharging wastewater in aquatic resources and having no treatment facilities have been identified for suitable action.

iv. With respect to industrial effluents, consent management for compliance of standards is being enforced by State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution Control Committees to improve the water quality.