THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION
(SHRI VIJAY GOEL)
(a) Effluent discharge into the Ganga River is regulated by the provisions contained in Environment Protection Act, 1986. CPCB is the nodal agency for implementation of regulations under this Act. Directions have been issued by CPCB for implementing the water conservation/Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) in 5 key industrial sectors namely distillery, pulp & paper, sugar, textile and tannery located in the main stem of Ganga River Basin states. Directions have also been issued for installation of online continuous effluent quality monitoring system to Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) located in four states of Ganga River Basin. 118 municipalities /local authorities of towns along river Ganga have been asked to submit a time bound program for implementing solid waste sewage management programme.
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(b) & (c) Under Namami Gange, there are 126 projects under execution which include 85 projects for creation of new Sewage Treatment Capacity, rehabilitation of existing capacity and also involves laying / rehabilitation of sewer network. All projects are scheduled to be completed by 2020.
CPCB is monitoring the Water quality of River Ganga at 57 locations from Gangotri to Diamond Harbour and their findings show that:
• The river water quality is in conformity with bathing criteria for Dissolved Oxygen (DO) at most of the locations from 2011 to 2015.
• The long term assessment of water quality data indicates that the river water quality is not conforming to the notified criteria for bathing for BOD between the river stretches from D/s Raiwala to Haridwar D/s in Uttrakhand, from Kannauj to Trighat in Uttar Pradesh and from Baharampore to Uluberia in West Bengal. However, the stretches falling in the state of Bihar have been reported relatively clean in term of organic pollution.
• Except for few locations in the upper stretch of the river, the river does not conform to the water quality criteria for Faecal Coliform of 2500 MPN/100ml.
• Out of the 764 GPIs located on main stem of river Ganga in four states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & West Bengal), 565 units have installed Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS), while others are in the process of installation
• Out of 118 ULBs, 92 ULBs have responded for Sewage Management and 102 ULBs have responded for Solid Waste Management.
(d) Pollution abatement projects under Namami Gange include projects to clean river Yamuna as well. Under Yamuna Action Plan – III (YAP-III), works include rehabilitation/modernization of STPs totalling 814 MLD capacity at Okhla, Kondli and Rithala in Delhi and setting up of tertiary treatment facilities at these STPs. Further, two projects have been sanctioned in Sonepat and Panipat towns at total cost of Rs. 217.87 crore for pollution abatement of river Yamuna. The main project components includes construction of new STPs and rehabilitation of existing STPs and laying sewerage network.
(e) The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 21st September, 2016 has approved “The River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016” which has since been published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary Part II Section 3 sub section (ii) dated 7th October, 2016. In this order certain Authorities have been established with Powers to issue directions u/s 5 of Environment Protection Act, 1986.
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