(a) the salient features of the Ganga and Yamuna Action Plans;
(b) the details of funds spent on Ganga and Yamuna Action Plans so far;
(c) whether after implementation of these Plans, Ganga and Yamuna rivers are still polluted;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(e) the concrete proposals of the Government, if any, to improve the quality of these rivers; and
(f) the estimated funds likely to be incurred for the purpose and the time by which the programme will be completed?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FIN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (f) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.266
to be answered on Wednesday, the 22nd July, 2009 on ‘Ganga and Yamuna Action Plan’
(a) to (f) Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase I was launched as a centrally funded scheme in 1985 with the objective of improving
the water quality of the Ganga to acceptable standards. Various pollution abatement works like Interception & Diversion of
sewage,setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation works,crematoria works, etc. were taken up. GAP Phase – II
which covered the tributaries of Ganga namely, Yamuna, Gomti, Damodar and Mahananda, besides Ganga, was approved in stages
from 1993-1996. GAP Phase II was merged with the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in December, 1996. The total
expenditure incurred for river Ganga under the GAP Phase – I & II so far, is Rs.816.47 crore.Sewage treatment capacity
of 1007 million liters per day (mld) has been created.
Water quality monitoring carried out by reputed institutions such as,IIT, Kanpur, BHEL,Patna University, etc.indicates that,
water quality of the river Ganga conforms to the prescribed standards in terms of key indicators, namely,Bio-chemical Oxygen
Demand (BOD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) at most of the locations, except in the stretch between Kannauj and Varanasi in Uttar
Pradesh. However, the levels of fecal coliforms are reported to be exceeding the maximum permissible limit at a number of
monitoring stations along the river Ganga.
The first phase of the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) for the abatement of pollution of river Yamuna was started in April, 1993
in 21 towns of the three States of UP, Delhi & Haryana.YAP-I was completed in February, 2003 at a total expenditure of Rs.
682 crore.The second Phase of YAP, an ongoing programme, commenced in December, 2004 at an approved cost of Rs.624 crore.
Till March, 2009, an expenditure of Rs 190.15 crore has been incurred.Sewage treatment capacity of 753.25 million liters
per day (mld) has been created for the river Yamuna under both the phases of the Plan.
As per the water quality monitoring undertaken through independent institutions, the water quality in the stretch of the
river Yamuna from Tajewala to Palla in Haryana is found to be within the prescribed limits. However, the stretch of the
river in the vicinity of Delhi (downstream of Wazirabad barrage to upstream of Okhla barrage) and parts of Uttar Pradesh
exceeds the standards in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand of 3.0 miligram per litre (mg/l) mainly due to significant
increase in pollution load and lack of fresh water in the river during lean period.
Review of strategy of river conservation is a continuous process.Several measures such as concurrent evaluation of schemes
have been initiated to improve the performance of the National River Conservation Plan.The Central Government has also set
up the ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority’ on 20.2.2009 as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating
authority to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a holistic approach
with the river basin as the unit of planning. The functions of the Authority include all measures necessary for planning
and execution of programmes for abatement of pollution in the Ganga including augmentation of sewerage infrastructure,
collection, analysis and dissemination of information relating to environmental pollution in Ganga; investigations and
research regarding problems of environmental pollution and conservation of Ganga;and, promotion of water conservation
practices including recycling and reuse, rain water harvesting, and decentralised sewage treatment systems.
A provision of Rs.2100 crores has been made in the XI Plan for the National River Conservation Plan.River conservation
activities such as sewage treatment infrastructure are also being implemented under other central schemes, such as
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns,
as well as state schemes.
The Government of NCT of Delhi has taken up sewerage and sewage treatment works under other schemes to fully address
the pollution load being discharged into Yamuna. The Delhi Jal Board has prepared schemes for laying of interceptor
sewers along three major drains namely Najafgarh,Shahdara and Supplementary, construction of sewage treatment plants
of 318 mld, interception of drains and rehabilitation of trunk sewers, laying of sewerage system in unsewered colonies
and rural areas and desilting of peripheral and internal sewers.