Anantkumar Hegde - Parliament

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 452

ANSWERED ON:10.11.2010

POLLUTION IN GANGA

JHANSI BOTCHA LAKSHMI

(a) the details of fund spent so far on cleaning of river Ganga under the various programme, State-wise;

(b)the success achieved alongwith the places where the river is still polluted and the reasons therefore, State-wise;

(d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and action taken against such erring industries; and

(e) the further steps Government proposes to take for making the river pollution free alongwith the time by which it is likely to clean the river?

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTSbe pleased to state:-

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS

(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) to (e)Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was initiated in 1985 for pollution abatement in identified polluted stretches of river Ganga. An amount of Rs. 429.27 crore was spent by the Central Government under GAP-I, whereas an amount of Rs.410.49 crore has been spent under GAP-II so far.

State-wise details of funds released till October, 2010 by the Central Government under GAP I & II and sewage treatment capacity created are as follows:

Sl.No. State Ganga Action Plan Sewage Treatment Phase-I Phase-II Total Capacity Created (mld) (Rupees in crore)

1 Uttrakhand - 31.38 31.38 66.00

2 Uttar Pradesh 190.12# 138.28 328.40 386.29

3 Bihar 53.55 6.52 60.07 122.00

4 West Bengal 185.60 234.31 419.91 480.25

TOTAL 429.27 410.49 839.76 1054.54

#This includes funds released to present Uttarakhand Towns in GAP-I. Water quality monitoring of Ganga by reputed independent institutions shows improvement in river water quality indicators such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) over the pre-GAP period. The level of bacterial contamination in terms of fecal coliform however, exceeds the maximum permissible limit at most monitoring stations along the river.

The pollution load on rivers has increased over the years due to rapid urbanistion and industrialization. Domestic sewage is the major source of pollution of rivers besides industrial and other non-point sources of pollution. Wastewater of around 3000 million litres per day (mld) is being generated from towns along river Ganga, whereas sewage treatment capacity of 1055 mld has been created under the two phases of GAP. Abstraction of water for irrigation, drinking, industrial use, power etc. compounds the challenge. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) monitor compliance of effluent discharge standards by the industries.CPCB has identified Grossly Polluting Industries which are discharging BOD load of 100 kg per day or more in the Ganga Basin.

Action is taken against the defaulting industries by CPCB and SPCBs under relevant provisions of Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Other measures include providing fund assistance for setting up of common effluent treatment plants for small scale industries and promotion of clean technologies. Further, CPCB has set up a dedicated cell to monitor discharge of industrial effluents in the critical stretch of the river Ganga. Conservation of rivers is an ongoing and collective effort of the Central and State Governments.

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 sector schemes.

The Central Government has set up the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) in February, 2009 as an empowered authority for effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a holistic approach with the river basin as the unit of planning. Schemes worth about Rs.1450 crores have been sanctioned under NGRBA so far.