Question : GANGA ACTION PLAN

ate:

(a) the total expenditure incurred so far on the Ganga Action Plan and the amount likely to be incurred further by the Government thereon ;

(b) the latest position in regard to the presence of pollution in the river Ganges at Rishikesh, Haridwar, Garhmukteshwar, Patna and Munger ;

(c) whether the Government have noticed any achievement/improvement in this regard after spending so much funds over the last three years ;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor ; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to remedy the situation ?

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T. R. BAALU)

(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

Statement referred to in the reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 405 to be answered on 12-08-2002 on Ganga Action Plan.

(a) to (e) An amount of Rs. 451.70 crore has been spent on Ganga Action Plan Phase-I which was completed on 31-3-2000. Under the Ganga Action Plan Phase-II which is under implementation, the approved cost of works is Rs. 1498.86 crore. Of this, an amount of Rs. 747 crore has been released so far to the implementing agencies. The balance amount would be released depending upon the progress of works. The water quality data during the last three years at at Rishikesh, Haridwar, Garhmukteshwar, Patna and Munger are given below. The water quality at these locations is within the permissible limits during the period. With the completion of Ganga Action Plan Phase-II, the quality of river Ganga is likely to improve further.

S.No.	Location	Period
1999	2001	2002
#Dissolved	#Biochemical	Dissolved	Biochemical	Dissolved	Biochemical	Oxygen(mg/l)	Oxygen	Oxygen(mg/l)	Oxygen	Oxygen(mg/l)	Oxygen	Demand(mg/l)	Demand(mg/l)	Demand(mg/l)
1.	Rishikesh	9.0	1.0	9.1	1.1	8.2	1.2

2.	Haridwar	8.6	1.2	8.8	1.4	7.9	1.6

3.	Garhmukteshwar	7.9	1.4	7.8	1.8	7.5	2.1

4.	Patna	7.8	2.4	7.7	2.4	6.6	2.0

5.	Munger$	8.6	2.8	7.7	1.8	7.5	2.4	(Mokamah)
$	There is no monitoring location at Munger. The figures for Mokamah 60 km upstream of Munger	are given in the table. There is no major pollution source in the region between Munger and Mokamah.
#	Standards for Dissolved Oxygen and Biochemical Oxygen Demand in river water for the desired bathing	class are 5 mg/litre(minimum) and 3mg/litre(maximum) respectively.