Question : SURVEY OF CITIES

(a) whether the Government has conducted any survey regarding the number of cities situated along the banks of the rivers in the country as on date;

(b) if so, the State-wise names of cities and the rivers on which banks those cities are situated;

(c) whether the waste water and human excreta being discharged from these cities go into these rivers;

(d) if so, whether the Government has formulated/proposes to formulate any scheme for treatment of the said waste water and human excreta before going into the river; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)

(a) to (e) Pollution load on rivers has increased over the years due to rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. Discharge of untreated wastewater constitutes the major source of pollution load for the rivers. Interception and diversion of sewage and setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants have, therefore, been among the main components of pollution abatement schemes under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

According to a recent report of the Central Pollution Control Board on the status of water supply, wastewater generation and treatment in Class-I Cities & Class-II towns, against an estimated sewage generation of about 38254 million litres per day (mld) from the 498 Class I cities & 410 Class II towns of the country, the available treatment capacity is for 11787 mld (31%). Details on state-wise sewage generation given in the report are at Annexure.

Conservation of rivers involves collective efforts of the Central and State Governments. The Central Government is supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in river conservation. The centrally sponsored NRCP presently covers 39 rivers in 185 towns spread over 20 States. Sewage treatment capacity of about 4417 million litres per day (mld.) has been created so far under this Plan.

River conservation activities such as creation of civic infrastructure for sewage management and disposal are also being implemented under other central schemes, such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns, as well as under state schemes.