Measures Taken for Improvement in River Water Quality

By ppb -

December 19, 2022

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Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in different States/Union Territories (UTs), have been monitoring the water quality of rivers and other water bodies across the country through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. Based on water quality monitoring results, pollution assessment of rivers has been carried out by CPCB from time to time. As per the last report published by CPCB in September 2018, 351 polluted stretches were identified on 323 rivers based on monitoring results in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), a key indicator of organic pollution.

Improvement in water quality has been observed in 180 out of 351 polluted river stretches (PRS) identified during year 2018. 106 river stretches out of these 180 PRS have come out of the list of polluted stretches as per details given at Annexure-I and remaining 74 have shifted to lower priority class as per details given at Annexure-II. As per the water quality monitoring carried out by CPCB for 2019 & 2021 on 279 rivers, 311 polluted river stretches have been identified.

As per the seventh schedule of Constitution of India (Article 246), ‘Water’ is a State subject, and it is the responsibility of the States/UTs to ensure the cleanliness and development of rivers within their jurisdiction. For conservation of rivers, this Ministry has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers in the country through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for rivers in Ganga basin, and Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. Under NRCP works relating to interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of sewerage system, setting up sewage treatment plant (STP), low cost sanitation, river front/bathing ghat development, etc are taken up.

NRCP has so far covered polluted stretches on 36 rivers in 80 towns spread over 16 States in the country with the sanctioned cost of projects as Rs. 6,248.16 crore, and sewage treatment capacity of 2,745.7 MLD created. Under Namami Gange programme, 406 projects, including 176 projects for sewage treatment of 5,270 MLD and a sewer network of 5,214 km, have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 32,898 crore against which sewerage treatment capacity of 1,858 MLD has been created so far. The sewage treatment capacity created result in reducing pollution load being discharge in the various rivers.

In addition, sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.

Steps taken by the Government to stop discharge of industrial effluents into rivers inter alia, include issuance of notification of specific discharge standards, revision of the criteria for categorization of industries and issuing directions to all SPCBs/ PCCs to adopt the same, issuance of consent to establish/consent to operate by the SPCBs/PCCs, based on Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI) identification of critically polluted areas to take necessary measures through time-targeted action plans, regular inspections of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) by CPCB for compliance verification, installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS)for assessment of effluent quality and compliance status. In addition, the industries are encouraged to reduce their waste water generation by technological advancement, reuse/recycle of wastewater and maintain Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) wherever possible.

As per the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act 1974, industrial units are required to install effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and treat their effluents to comply with stipulated environmental standards before discharging into river and water bodies. Accordingly, CPCB, SPCBs and PCCs monitor industries with respect to effluent discharge standards and take punitive action for non-compliance under provisions of these Acts.

Besides, in compliance of the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application No.673/2018 regarding rejuvenation of polluted river stretches in the country, States/UTs are required to implement approved action plans for restoration of the polluted stretches in their jurisdiction as identified by CPCB and published in their report of 2018, within the stipulated timelines. As per the orders of NGT, regular review on implementation of these action plans is undertaken in the States/UTs and also at Central level by Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt. of India.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

ANNEXURE I

State-wise list of 106 PRS removed from the list of 351 PRS (identified during Year 2018) based on monitored data during 2019 & 2021

S No	State	River	Stretch	Priority class during the year 2018
	ANDHRA PRADESH	GODAVARI	RAYANPETA TO RAJAHMUNDRI	V
		KRISHNA	AMRAVATHI TO HAMSALA DEEVI	V
		KUNDU	NANDYAL TO MADDURU	IV
		NAGAVALI	ALONG THOTAPALLI	V
		TUNGABHADRA	MANTHRALAYAM TO BAVAPURAM	IV
	ASSAM	BARAK	PANCHGRAM TO SILCHAR	V
		BAROI	DOWNSTREAM OF BRIDGE AT NH-52	V
		BEKI	BARPETA ROAD TO JYOTI GAON	V
		BHOGDOI	JORHAT TO DULIAGAON	V
		BOGINADI	LAKHIMPUR TO DIBRUGARH	V
		BORSOLA	ALONG SARABBHATTI, GUWAHATI	I
		BRAHAMPUTRA	KHERGHAT TO DHUBRI	IV
		DIKHOW	NAGINI MORA TO DIKHOMUKH	V
		DIKRONG	ALONG BANDARDEWA	V
		DISANG	DILLIGHAT TO GUNDAMGHAT	V
		GABHARU	ALONG TUMIUKI, SONITPUR	V
		JHANJI	JORHAT TO CHAWDANG	V
		JIA BHARALI	ALONG SONITPUR	V
		KAPILI	NAGAON TO KAMPUR TOWN	V
		KILLING	ALONG MOREGAON	V
		KOHORA	KOHORA TO MOHPARA	V
		KOLONG	NAGAON TO MORI KALONG	V
		PANCHNAI	ORANG TO BORSALA	III
		PUTHIMARI	ALONG PUTHIMARI	V
		RANGA	ALONG GERAMUKH	V
		SANKOSH	ALONG GOLAKGANJ	V
		SONAI	SONAI TO DAKSHIN MOHANPUR	V
	GOA	ASSONORA	ASSONORA TO SIRSAIM	V
		BICHOLIM	BICHOLIM TO CURCHIREM	V
		CHAPORA	PERNEM TO MORJIM	V
		SINQUERIM	ALONG CANDOLIM	V
		TALPONA	ALONG CANACONA	IV
		TIRACOL	ALONG TIRACOL	V
		VALVANT	SANKLI – BICHOLIM TO PORIEM	V
	GUJARAT	AMRAVATI	ALONG DADHAL, ANKALESHWAR	IV
		ANAS	DAHOD TO FATEHPURA	V
		BALEHWAR KHADI	PANDESARA TO KAPLETHA	V
		KIM	SAHOL BRIDGE TO HANSOL	V
		KOLAK	KIKARLA TO SALVAV	IV
		MESHWA	ALONG SHAMLAJI	V
		NARMADA	GARUDESHWAR TO BHARUCH	V
		TRIVENI/ HIRAN	TRIVENI SANGAM TO BADALPARA	III
	HIMACHAL PRADESH	BEAS	KULLU TO DEHRAGOPIPUR	V
	JAMMU & KASHMIR	CHENAB	JAL PATAN TO PARGAWAL	V
	JAMMU & KASHMIR	SINDH	ALONG DUDERHAMA	V
	JHARKHAND	KONAR	ALONG TILAYA AND KONAR	V
		NALKARI	ALONG PATRATU	V
		SANKH	KONGSERABASAR TO BOLBA	IV
	KARNATAKA	KALI	HASAN MAAD (WEST COAST PAPER MILL) TO BOMMANAHALLI RESERVOIR	IV
		KUMARDHARA	ALONG UPPINANGADI	V
		MALPRABHA	KHANAPUR TO DHARWAD	III
		YAGACHI	ALONG YAGACHI, HASSAN	V
	KERALA	BHARATHAPUZHA	ALONG PATAMBI	IV
		BHAVANI	ALONG ELACHIVAZHY	V
		KARUVANNUR	ALONG KARUVANNUR	V
		KAVVAI	ALONG KAVVAI	V
		KEECHERI	PULIYANNOR TO KECHERY	IV
		KUPPAM	THALIPARAMBA TO VELICHANGOOL	V
		KUTTIYADY	ALONG KUTTIYADY	V
		MOGRAL	ALONG MOGRAL	V
		PERUVAMBA	ALONG PERUVAMBA	V
		PUZHACKAL	OLARIKKARA TO PUZHACKAL	V
		RAMAPURAM	ALONG RAMAPURAM	V
	MADHYA PRADESH	CHOUPAN	ALONG VIJAIPUR	V
		GOHAD/ VAISHALI	GOHAD DAM TO GORMI	IV
		KATNI	ALONG KATNI	V
		KOLAR	SURAJNAGAR TO SHIRDIPURAM	IV
		SIMRAR	ALONG KATNI	V
		TONS	CHAKGHAT TO CHAPPAR	V
		WAINGANGA	CHINDWARA TO BALAGHAT	V
	MAHARASHTRA	PANCHAGANGA	SHIROL TO KOLHAPUR	V
	MIZORAM	MAT	ALONG SERCHHIP	V
		SAIKAH	ALONG LAWNGTLAI	V
		TIAU	ALONG CHAMPHAI	III
		TLAWNG	ALONG ZOBAWK, SAIRANG TO BAIRABI	IV
		TUIPUI	ALONG CHAMPHAI	IV
		TUIRIAL	ALONG TUIRIAL, AIZWAL	V
		TUIVAWL	ALONG KEIFANG	IV
	NAGALAND	CHATHE	MEDZIPHEMA TO, DIMAPUR	IV
	NAGALAND	DZUCHA	ALONG KOHIMA	V
	ODISHA	BHEDEN	ALONG BHEDEN	V
		BUDHABALANGA	MAHULIA TO BARIPADA	V
		KUSUMI	ALONG ANGUL TALCHER	V
		MAHANADI	SAMBALPUR TO PARADEEP	V
		NAGAVALLI	JAYKAYPUR TO RAYAGADA	V
		NANDIRAJHOR	D/S TALCHER	III
		NUNA	ALONG BIJIPUR, PURI	V
		RATNACHIRA	ALONG BHUBHNESHWAR, PURI	V
		RUSHIKULYA	PRATAPPUR TO GANJAM	V
		SABULIA	ALONG JAGANNATHPATNA, RAMBHA	V
	PUDUCHERRY	ARASALAR	ALONG KARAIKAL	IV
	PUNJAB	BEAS	ALONG MUKERIAN	V
	SIKKIM	MANEY KHOLA	ADAMPOOL TO BURTUKK	V
		RANGIT	DAM SITE (NHPC) TO TREVENI	V
		RANICHU	NAMLI TO SINGTAM	V
		TEESTA	MELLI TO CHUNGTHANG	V
	TRIPURA	BURIGAON	ALONG BISHALGARH	V
		GUMTI	TELKAJILA TO AMARPUR	V
		JURI	ALONG DHARMANAGAR	V
		KHOWAI	ALONG TELIAMURA	V
		MANU	ALONG KAILASHAHAR	V
	UTTARAKHAND	GANGA	HARIDWAR TO SULTANPUR	IV
	WEST BENGAL	KALJANI	BITALA TO ALIPURDWAR	V
		KAROLA	JALPAIGURI TO THAKURER KAMAT	V
		MAYURAKSHI	SURI TO DURGAPUR	V
		SILABATI	GHATAL TO NISCHINDIPUR	V

ANNEXURE II

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1385 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19^TH DECEMBER, 2022 REGARDING ‘CONTAMINATION OF RIVERS’

State wise list to 74 polluted river stretches (PRS) shifted in lower priority class in 2022 from the identified stretches of 2018

S NO	RIVER	STATE	PRIORITY CLASS DURING THE YEAR 2018	PRIORITY CLASS DURING THE YEAR 2022
1	GODAVARI	MAHARASHTRA	I	II
2	MULA	MAHARASHTRA	I	II
3	SARABANGA	TAMIL NADU	I	II
4	SUSWA	UTTARAKHAND	I	II
5	VINDHADHARI	WEST BENGAL	I	II
6	DAMANGANGA	DAMAN, DIU AND DADRA NAGAR HAVELI	I	III
7	KARAMANA	KERALA	I	III
8	KSHIPRA	MADHYA PRADESH	I	III
9	KUNDALIKA	MAHARASHTRA	I	III
10	MORNA	MAHARASHTRA	I	III
11	NIRA	MAHARASHTRA	I	III
12	DHANSIRI	NAGALAND	I	III
13	CAUVERY	TAMIL NADU	I	III
14	KALU	MAHARASHTRA	I	IV
15	VEL	MAHARASHTRA	I	IV
16	BHOGAVO	GUJARAT	I	V
17	INDRAYANI	MAHARASHTRA	II	III
18	WAINGANGA	MAHARASHTRA	II	III
19	WARDHA	MAHARASHTRA	II	III
20	NAKKAVAGU	TELANGANA	II	III
21	KICHHA	UTTARAKHAND	II	III
22	DEVIKA	JAMMU & KASHMIR	II	IV
23	BETWA	MADHYA PRADESH	II	IV
24	NAMBUL	MANIPUR	II	IV
25	MARKANDA	HIMACHAL PRADESH	II	V
26	MANJEERA	TELANGANA	II	V
27	BANGANGA	JAMMU & KASHMIR	III	IV
28	TUNGABHADRA	KARNATAKA	III	IV
29	SONE	MADHYA PRADESH	III	IV
30	MOR	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
31	PEDHI	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
32	PENGANGA	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
33	PURNA	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
34	URMODI	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
35	VENNA	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
36	WENA	MAHARASHTRA	III	IV
37	GANGA	WEST BENGAL	III	IV
38	DIGBOI	ASSAM	III	V
39	SAL	GOA	III	V
40	LAKSHMANTIRTHA	KARNATAKA	III	V
41	KOLAR	MAHARASHTRA	III	V
42	DZUNA	NAGALAND	III	V
43	KATHAJODI	ODISHA	III	V
44	KARAKAVAGU	TELANGANA	III	V
45	DWARKA	WEST BENGAL	III	V
46	KHARSANG	ASSAM	IV	V
47	PAGLDIA	ASSAM	IV	V
48	HASDEO	CHHATTISGARH	IV	V
49	MAHANADI	CHHATTISGARH	IV	V
50	MANDOVI	GOA	IV	V
51	DAMAN GANGA	GUJARAT	IV	V
52	TAPI	GUJARAT	IV	V
53	GAWKADAL	JAMMU & KASHMIR	IV	V
54	GARGA	JHARKHAND	IV	V
55	CAUVERY	KARNATAKA	IV	V
56	KABINI	KARNATAKA	IV	V
57	KAGINA	KARNATAKA	IV	V
58	KRISHNA	KARNATAKA	IV	V
59	KADAMBAYAR	KERALA	IV	V
60	MANIMALA	KERALA	IV	V
61	PAMBA	KERALA	IV	V
62	TAPI	MADHYA PRADESH	IV	V
63	BINDUSAR	MAHARASHTRA	IV	V
64	BORI	MAHARASHTRA	IV	V
65	HIWARA	MAHARASHTRA	IV	V
66	KHARKHALA/ KYRHUKHLA	MEGHALAYA	IV	V
67	NONBAH	MEGHALAYA	IV	V
68	UMTREW	MEGHALAYA	IV	V
69	DZU	NAGALAND	IV	V
70	KALI BEIN	PUNJAB	IV	V
71	BHAVANI	TAMIL NADU	IV	V
72	KINNERSANI	TELANGANA	IV	V
73	GANGA	UTTAR PRADESH	IV	V
74	DAMODAR	WEST BENGAL	IV	V