(a) whether studies have been carried out by various institutions on certain rivers in Himachal Pradesh under the National River Action Plan;
(b) the number of proposals for allocation of funds pending with the Union Government in this regard and the time since when the proposals are pending;
(c) the reasons for non-allocation of funds so far in this regard; and
(d) the time by which funds will be allocated?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) to (d) Studies on rivers Beas, Satluj, Ravi, Yamuna, Parvati, Langi and Sirsa are being regularly carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board with the State Pollution Control
Board for monitoring the water quality of these rivers in Himachal Pradesh.
Under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), proposals were received from the Government of Himachal Pradesh for assessment of pollution load in river Satluj in 1994 and for pollution abatement in 11 towns along river Beas in the year 2000. The proposal for river Satluj was not taken up as the water quality of the river stretch in Himachal Pradesh was within the prescribed standards. For river Beas, the Government of Himachal Pradesh have been asked to prepare Detailed Project Reports with firm costs and following an integrated approach with 70:30 cost sharing between the Central and State Government. A proposal for inclusion of Paonta Sahib along river Yamuna and four towns along river Beas (which were also a part of the earlier proposal of 11 towns received in the year 2000) under NRCP was also received from the Government of Himachal Pradesh in the year 2003 in the context of preparation of Plan by IIT, Roorkee for coverage of important water bodies in addition to the schemes already approved under NRCP. Due to acute shortage of funds in the X Plan under NRCP, it has not been possible to take them up for implementation. Subsequently, on taking up the matter again by the State Government, they have been informed in December, 2005 that the proposal for Paonta Sahib could be considered for inclusion under NRCP during the X Plan, subject to necessary clearances, due to its religious importance and the fact that river pollution abatement works n various towns downstream of Paonta Sahib are already being funded under the ongoing NRCP.