(a) whether the Government is aware that the water of Mahisagar river passing through Vadodara and Anand districts of Gujarat is getting polluted which poses threat to people’s health due to consumption of river water; and
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to prevent the said river from getting polluted and to avoid the damage likely to be caused as a result thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) monitors the water quality of rivers on a regular basis across the country through a network of monitoring stations. As per latest report of CPCB, 351 polluted river stretches have been identified on 323 rivers based on the value of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). Sevalia to Bahadarpur stretch on Mahisagar River in Gujarat has been identified as one of these polluted stretches of priority IV (BOD in the range of 6-10 mg/l).
(b) Gujarat Govt. has submitted action plan with the approval of River Rejuvenation Committee (RRC) (Constituted by Gujarat Government) for restoration of River Mahisagar to the CPCB. According to CPCB, the approved action plan is presently under implementation which is monitored by RRC under the overall supervision and coordination of Government of Gujarat.
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