GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 83
ANSWERED ON 03.02.2025
ACTION PLAN FOR MITIGATION OF RIVER POLLUTION
83. DR. MEDHA VISHRAM KULKARNI
Will the Minister of Jal Shakti be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government has formulated a State-specific action plan to address pollution in Maharashtra’s rivers;
(b) if so, the key focus areas of the plan, including measures to improve water quality, restrict industrial and domestic effluents, and restore aquatic ecosystems;
(c) the timeline proposed for achieving measurable improvements in water quality across the identified polluted stretches; and (d) whether any pilot projects have been initiated to address specific critically polluted stretches, and if so, their status and outcomes?

                                                                        ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (d) Cleaning/Rejuvenation of rivers is a continuous process. It is the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories (UTs) and Urban Local Bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents to the prescribed norms before discharging into the rivers and other water bodies. In compliance of the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Original Application No.673/2018 regarding rejuvenation of polluted river stretches identified by the Central Pollution Control Board, the States have got their action plans prepared and got these approved from the competent Authority. Central monitoring committee and State level committees have been constituted to review the implementation of approved action plans.

The action plan along with various focus areas for polluted river stretches in Maharashtra are available at: https://www.mpcb.gov.in/river-polluted-streches/action-plans The Govt. of India has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in rivers/tributaries in Ganga basin through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange Program, and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers.
2 Under NRCP, 260 MLD of Sewage Treatment capacity had been created in Maharashtra for the rivers namely Godavari, Krishna, Tapi and Panchganga along with works of interception & diversionof raw sewage, construction of sewerage systems. Further under NRCP, a project for pollution abatement of the river Mula-Mutha in Pune,
Maharashtra, has been sanctioned at a total cost of Rs. 990.26 crore for the setting up of 11 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a total capacity of 396 MLD, including laying of a 53.5 km sewer network. For pollution abatement of the river Nag at Nagpur, in Maharashtra, a project has also been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 1926.99 crore for the setting up of 5 STPs of total capacity 102 MLD, including laying of a 520 km sewer network. These projects are under implementation by respective Municipal Corporations.