Water Pollution
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State
Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees(PPCs) is
monitoring the quality of water bodies at 2500 locations across the
country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP) which
indicate that organic pollution is the predominant cause of water
pollution. Based on the magnitude of organic pollution, CPCB in 2008
identified 150 polluted river stretches which increased to 302 in 2015.
The rivers stretches are polluted mainly due to discharge of untreated /
partially treated sewage and discharge of industrial wastewater. CPCB
assessed the total volume of municipal wastewater generation in the
country at about 61,948 MLD as against the installed sewage treatment
capacity of 23,277 MLD leaving a wide gap of more than 38,671 MLD.
Similar observations were made by WHO in its reports on water pollution.
The steps taken by the Government to address the issues of water pollution include the following:-
i. Preparation of action plan for sewage management and restoration of water quality in aquatic resources by State Governments;
ii. Installation of Online Effluent Monitoring System to check the
discharge of effluent directly into the rivers and water bodies;
iii. Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of water quality;
iv. Action to comply with effluent standards is taken by SPCBs / PCCs to improve the water quality of the rivers;
v. Financial assistance for installation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units;
vi. Issuance of directions for implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge;
vii. Issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986 to industries and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
viii. Implementation of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and
National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) for conservation and
management of identified lakes and wetlands in the country which have
been merged in February, 2013 into an integrated scheme of National Plan
for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) to undertake various
conservation activities including interception, diversion and treatment
of waste water, pollution abatement, lake beautification, biodiversity
conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation
etc.
This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for
Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar, in Lok
Sabha today.
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HK
(Release ID :137979)
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