(a) whether the Government has constituted any study group to examine the adverse effects of rising pollution in the rivers across the country and to suggest solutions for the same;
(b) if so, the details of the study report thereof;
(c) the provisions made for protecting the rivers from pollution and measures proposed to clean the rivers; and
(d) whether the Government is working on any time bound scheme towards making the rivers pollution free and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) & (b) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with the State Pollution Control Boards is regularly monitoring the water quality of rivers across the country through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. Based on monitoring results in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution, CPCB has identifies the polluted river stretches in the country. In the latest CPCB report of September 2018, 351 polluted river stretches have been identified on 323 rivers, as per details at Annexure.
(c) The Ministry has been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) on cost sharing basis between the Central & State Governments for taking up various pollution abatement works relating to interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of sewerage systems, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat development, etc. Implementation of NRCP works has led to reduction in pollution load draining into rivers as well as improving the environmental & sanitation conditions in the towns in which the programme have been implemented.
NRCP {excluding Ganga and its tributaries, which are handled by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR) from 01/08/2014 onwards} has so far covered polluted stretches of 34 rivers in 77 towns spread over 16 States in the country at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 5870.54 crore, and Central share of Rs. 2378.73 crore has been released to the State Governments for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes. Sewage treatment capacity of 2522.03 mld (million litres per day) has been created so far under the NRCP.
State Governments, apart from their own budgetary allocation, are also accessing financial assistance for creation of sewerage infrastructure, including Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), in various cities/towns under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs as well as Namami Gange programme of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR).
To ensure proper treatment of municipal wastewater before discharge into the rivers, CPCB has issued directions under Section 18 1(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 in April, 2015 to all the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in the country for setting up of STPs in their respective States. CPCB has also issued directions in October, 2015 to municipal authorities of 66 metropolitan cities and State capitals under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to ensure proper treatment and disposal of sewage generated for abatement of pollution of rivers.
Further, to control discharge of industrial effluents, CPCB and respective SPCBs/PCCs monitor industries with respect to effluent discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To improve the monitoring of compliance, directions have been issued by CPCB to specific industries to install online 24x7 effluent monitoring systems. Steps have also been taken by CPCB to promote low waste concept in grossly water polluting industries, particularly those located on the river banks.
(d) Conservation and rejuvenation of rivers in the country have been revised from time to time in consultation with the State Governments. Works have been taken up in identified polluted river stretches under the National River Conservation Plan by the Ministry on the basis of conformity with the guidelines, pollution status, prioritization, willingness of the State Governments to contribute their matching share and availability of Plan funds, and incorporation of appropriate strategies.
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