Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, informed the Parliament that her ministry has initiated several measures for abatement of pollution of rivers. She informed that the pollution load in rivers is increasing due to discharge of partially treated and untreated industrial and municipal waste.
The information said that the Central Pollution Control Board is monitoring water quality of various river stretches in the country including Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Kaveri and Godavari River and based on the monitoring, 150 polluted stretches have been identified along various rivers in the country.
She informed that the Ministry has initiated several measures for abatement of pollution of rivers including financial assistance for sewerage schemes under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) covering works such as interception and diversion of sewage, construction of Sewage Treatment Plants, and construction of Low Cost Sanitation Schemes (LCS) and installation of the Common Effluent Treatment Plants in industrial clusters. In addition, 17 categories of highly polluting industries are regularly monitored through the Central Pollution Control Boards (CPCB) as well as State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/ PCCs) for ensuring compliance with the effluents discharge standards etc.
She informed that based on the independent monitoring undertaken by reputed institutions, the water quality in terms of BOD values (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) for major rivers is reported to have improved as compared to the water quality before taking up pollution abatement works.
However, the levels of bacterial contamination in terms of fecal coliform are reported to be exceeding the maximum permissible limit at various monitoring locations. Further, the CPCB and SPCBs monitor industries for compliance with respect to effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The information said that the Central Pollution Control Board is monitoring water quality of various river stretches in the country including Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Kaveri and Godavari River and based on the monitoring, 150 polluted stretches have been identified along various rivers in the country.
She informed that the Ministry has initiated several measures for abatement of pollution of rivers including financial assistance for sewerage schemes under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) covering works such as interception and diversion of sewage, construction of Sewage Treatment Plants, and construction of Low Cost Sanitation Schemes (LCS) and installation of the Common Effluent Treatment Plants in industrial clusters. In addition, 17 categories of highly polluting industries are regularly monitored through the Central Pollution Control Boards (CPCB) as well as State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/ PCCs) for ensuring compliance with the effluents discharge standards etc.
She informed that based on the independent monitoring undertaken by reputed institutions, the water quality in terms of BOD values (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) for major rivers is reported to have improved as compared to the water quality before taking up pollution abatement works.
However, the levels of bacterial contamination in terms of fecal coliform are reported to be exceeding the maximum permissible limit at various monitoring locations. Further, the CPCB and SPCBs monitor industries for compliance with respect to effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.