Question : Discharge of Effluents in River Satluj

(a) whether the polluted waste water effluents and pollutants are being dischanged in river Satluj and its tributaries which is then being released into canals of Rajasthan through Harike barrage;
(b) if so, whether the Government is contemplating to formulate any concrete scheme to check and take action against the industrial units and urban authorities in Punjab responsible for discharging waste water effluents into the canals of Rajasthan; and
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which action is to be taken against industrial units?

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) is regularly monitoring water quality of rivers and other water bodies in the country through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. As the CPCB report of September, 2018, 351 polluted river stretches were identified on 323 rivers based on monitoring results in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand, an indicator of organic pollution. These include one polluted river stretch each on Satluj and Beas rivers in Punjab, which feed to the canals in Rajasthan originating from Harike Barrage.

A large number of rivers in the country, including identified stretches of rivers Satluj and Beas in Punjab, are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage from cities/towns and industrial effluents in their respective catchments, poor operation and maintenance of sewage/effluent treatment plants, lack of dilution and other non-point sources of pollution.

(b) & (c) It is the responsibility of the States/Union Territories (UTs) and local bodies to ensure treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescribed norms before discharging into rivers, water bodies or land to prevent and control of pollution therein. Discharge of industrial effluents is monitored by CPCB and the respective SPCBs/PCCs through the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The Central Government has notified General Discharge Standards and also industry specific effluent discharge standards under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 for prevention and control of pollution in water bodies which are required to be complied with by the industrial units. CPCB has issued directions from time to time to the concerned SPCBs for management of municipal and industrial waste waters discharging to river Satluj and its tributaries to prevent contamination of canals in Rajasthan.
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Besides, in compliance of the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application (OA) No.673/2018 regarding polluted river stretches in the country, States/UTs are required to implement action plans for restoration of the said stretches in their jurisdiction within the stipulated timelines. As per the orders of NGT, regular review is undertaken in the States/UTs and also at Central level. In another OA No.101/2014, NGT has constituted Monitoring Committees for preparation of action plans for rejuvenation of river Satluj and review of their implementation.

River cleaning is a continuous process. This Ministry, through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers (excluding river Ganga and its tributaries) by providing technical and financial assistance. For conservation of rivers Satluj and Beas, pollution abatement schemes were sanctioned in 14 towns in Punjab under NRCP at a cost of Rs.717.32 crores, and sewage treatment capacity of 648.20 million litres per day created in these towns.

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