Evaluation of Cleaning of Rivers

Evaluation of Cleaning of Rivers An amount of Rs.8847.22 crore have been sanctioned under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) since 1985, out of which Rs.5542.42 crore have been utilised. Both the amounts include share of State Governments also. NRCP presently covers 41 rivers, including river Ganga and Yamuna, in 191 towns spread over 20 States. Pollution abatement schemes implemented under the plan include interception, diversion and treatment of sewage; low cost sanitation works on river banks; electric/ improved wood based crematoria, etc. Sewage treatment capacity of 4704 mld (million litres per day) has been created under the Plan so far.

As per the river water quality monitoring carried out by Central Pollution Control Board from time to time, the water quality in the stretch of the river Yamuna from Hathnikund to Palla is found to be within the prescribed limits in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). However, the stretch of the river in the vicinity of Delhi (downstream of Wazirabad barrage to upstream of Okhla barrage) and in parts of Uttar Pradesh does not meet the standards in terms of BOD. The water quality of Yamuna has not shown the desired improvement owing to a large gap between the demand and availability of sewage treatment capacity and lack of fresh water in the river.

In light of experience gained in implementation of the river action plans since 1985, the conservation strategy was reviewed by the Government. Accordingly, in February 2009, the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) has been constituted as an empowered, planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority with the objective to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a holistic river basin approach. The NGRBA in its first meeting has resolved that under Mission Clean Ganga it will be ensured that by 2020 no untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow into Ganga.

For abatement of pollution of river Yamuna, financial assistance of an amount of Rs.595.86. crore & Rs.426.32 crore have been released in Phase-I & Phase-II to U.P., Delhi & Haryana under Yamuna Action Plan (YAP). Further, for the Phase - III of YAP for Delhi has been approved by the Ministry in December, 2011 at an estimated cost of Rs 1656 crore.

The above information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan to the Parliament.

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(Release ID :89530)