Question : CLEANING OF RIVER GANGA



(a) the present status in regard to cleaning of the river Ganga;

(b) whether the Government has received complaints regarding misuse of funds meant for cleaning of Ganga; and

(c) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard ?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI A. RAJA)

(a) The first attempt of the Government to check the growing pollution in Ganga river was the launching of Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase-I in 1985. This was undertaken in 25 towns spread over the States of Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and completed in the year 2000. Under this phase, 261 projects have been sanctioned out of which 259 projects were completed and a sewage treatment capacity of 865 mid. was created to check the pollution in Ganga river. The Ganga Action Plan was extended as GAP Phase-II in 1993 with works in 59 towns spread over the States of Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Under this Phase, 227 numbers of projects have been sanctioned, out of which 60 have been completed upto September 2005. The details of the projects sanctioned under the two phases of Ganga Action Plan are enclosed in the Annexure.

(b)and (c) In regard to the quality and execution of works at Kanpur and Anupshahar towns respectively, the implementing agency in the State of Uttar Pradesh, is reported to have received two complaints, against which, departmental enquiries have been ordered.