Question : STUDY ON QUALITY OF GANGA WATER

(a) whether the Government has published any study report on the quality of Ganga water;

(b) if so, the details thereof ; and

(c) if so, the steps taken by the Government to clean the water of the river Ganga?

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

(a) & (b) Central Pollution Control Board has published a report on Ganga Water Quality Trend in the year 2009-10. The report covered monitoring of water quality, identification of polluted river stretches including tributaries. It is reported that the water quality of river Ganga has been affected due to discharge of untreated / partially treated domestic waste water from the cities and town located on the bank of river Ganga. Water quality is also noted to be impaired by fecal coliform bacteria making the river water unfit for its best designated use.

(c) A National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) was constituted in February 2009, as an empowered, planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority with the objective to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a holistic river basin approach. The works under NGRBA Programme include laying of sewerage system, sewage treatment plants, solid waste management, common effluent treatment plant for controlling industrial pollution, river front management, crematoria etc. Under the NGRBA programme, 56 schemes in 44 towns in Ganga States have been sanctioned at a total cost of Rs. 3031.02 Crores. An amount of Rs. 988.63 Crores has been released from centre and state and an expenditure of Rs. 785.16 Crores has been incurred till September, 2013 for implementation of the projects.

Besides, a consortium of seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) has been assigned to prepare a comprehensive River Basin Management Plan for Ganga. The objective of the plan is to suggest comprehensive measures for restoration of the wholesomeness of the Ganga river system and improving its ecological health taking into account the issue of competing water uses in the river basin.