Question : Revival of Rivers

(a) whether it is a fact that majority of rivers in the country are dying;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to revive the said rivers;

(c) the number and details of rivers identified for rejuvenation/restoration in the country, State-wise including Gujarat and Tamil Nadu;

(d) whether the Government has provided funds for the development of rivers/restoration project for rivers in the country and if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State-wise including Tamil Nadu; and

(e) whether the Government has any plan to introduce any special innovative technologies for cleaning up of water bodies and rivers and if so, the details thereof?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(a) This Ministry does not maintain data on dying rivers in the country. However, it keeps a watch on water pollution level in rivers in the country. The water quality of rivers is regularly monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) through a network of 1275 monitoring stations on 445 rivers. As per the report published by CPCB in February 2015, 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution.

(b) to (d) Pollution abatement of rivers is a continuous and ongoing process. It is the responsibility of the State Governments/ concerned local bodies to set up facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage as well as proper disposal of dead bodies for abatement of pollution of rivers. 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). NRCP (excluding Ganga and its tributaries which is handled by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation w.e.f. 01.08.2014 onwards) has covered polluted stretches of 31 rivers in 75 towns spread over 14 States at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 4517.82 crore. This includes Sabarmati & Mindhola rivers of Gujarat and Adyar, Cooum, Vaigai, Vennar, Cauvery & Tamrabarani rivers of Tamil Nadu. So far, Central share of Rs. 2056.58 crore has been released to the State Governments for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes and sewage treatment capacity of 2445.71 million litres per day (mld) has been created under the NRCP programme (excluding Ganga & its tributaries). The details of rivers covered under NRCP and funds released during the last three years, State-wise, including Gujarat &Tamil Nadu, is given at Annexure.

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 and the Namami Gange programme (under NGRBA) of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

(e) From time to time, new sewage treatment technologies are taken up under the NRCP programme. In the recent past, a 5 mld Pilot Plant using innovative Down-flow Hanging Sponge (DHS) system for further treatment of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) effluents has been installed at Agra with assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency. Pilot projects for in-situ treatment of sewage through bio-remediation have also been set up at Budha Nalla in Ludhiana, Punjab using Green Bridge Technology and at Baker Ganj Nalla in Patna using Eco- Bio Block (EBB) technology.

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