Question : Heavy Metal Pollutants in Rivers

(a) whether any study to find out the heavy metal pollutants in various rivers in the country has been conducted during COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) if so, the details in this regard and the outcome of the same, river-wise;
(c) whether India and USA have any bilateral organization for conducting such research activities;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether agricultural run off and domestic sewage like nitrate and phosphate contribution in this regard has also been studied during such research activities; and
(f) if so, the details and outcome thereof?

MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

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(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *245 FOR 12/03/2021 REGARDING HEAVY METAL POLLUTANTS IN RIVERS

(a) & (b) A study has been carried out by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) for heavy metal measurement at Prayagraj in River Ganga during COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison of the analysis during lockdown and pre-COVID days revealed reduction of heavy metal concentration by 50%.

Besides this study, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) requested State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to conduct water quality monitoring of rivers. The assessment was done for Primary Water Quality Criteria (PWQC) parameters viz. pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Bio Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC).

The overall observations on 19 major rivers during the pre-lockdown and lockdown period as per primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing notified by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is attached at Annexure-I.

(c) & (d) There is no bilateral organisation for organising research activities on water quality measurements including heavy metals in rivers. However, Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), established under an agreement between the Government of India and the United States of America, is an autonomous bilateral organization jointly funded by both the Governments that promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation through substantive interaction among governments, academia and industry.

(e) & (f) The study conducted by IIT-Kanpur at Prayagraj monitored nitrate and phosphate concentrations, pre-dominantly derived from agriculture runoff and domestic sewage. The study showed that these contaminants maintained status quo during the pre-lockdown and lockdown period.



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