Constitution of teams to Study pollution of Rivers

Constitution of teams to Study pollution of Rivers

Since inception of Namami Gange Programme, Government has carried out detailed studies of 97 Ganga towns for their condition assessment and feasibility as regards their existing/future pollution load and sewage treatment capacity.  The quantity of sewage gap along with the characteristic and pollution load was also assessed.  Based on the Condition Assessment & Feasibility Study and similar study reports, 138 sewerage projects located in 89 towns on Ganga main stem, Yamuna and Ramganga have been sanctioned and are at various stages of implementation. 

Similarly, under Namami Gange Programme, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is operating a scheme “Pollution Inventorisation Assessment and Surveillance on river Ganga (PIAS)” for inventorisation, monitoring and surveillance of pollution load discharging into river Ganga and its tributaries and also for annual inspection of all Grossly Polluting Industries(GPIs).  Teams in association with third party technical institutions of repute like Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs), National Institute of Technologies (NITs),

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute (CPPRI), Pollution Control Research Institute (PCRI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), State Mission for Clean Ganga (SMCG) and District Ganga Committees (DGCs) have been carrying out annual inspections to assess the compliance status of GPIs for enforcing regulatory framework on the polluting industries.

Based on these studies and on annual inspections, GPIs in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal have been inventorised and actions are taken through issue of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 against the industrial units not complying to the consent conditions prescribed for discharge of effluents.  In 2017, out of 1109 GPIs inspected in association with 11 third party technical institutions and CPCB, 350 were found complying, 538 non-complying and 221 self-closed. Show cause notices were issued to 180 non-complying units and closure directions were issued to 358 non-complying industries under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Similarly, in 2018, 961 GPIs were inspected by associating 12 third party technical institutions.  Out of 961 GPIs inspected, 472 were found complying, 211 non-complying and 278 self-closed.  Show cause notices were issued to 98 non-complying units and closure directions were issued to 113 non-complying industries under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti & Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri Rattan Lal Kataria in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.