GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2309
ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024
PROTECTING RIVERS FROM POLLUTION
2309.# SHRI ADITYA PRASAD

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the rivers in the country, particularly in Jharkhand are being polluted on a large scale due to draining of untreated sewage and wastewater from industries and hotels directly into the rivers, small rivers and drains;
(b) if so, the total number of rivers, drains and small rivers that have been polluted in Ranchi district and other districts;
(c) the schemes being run by Government to protect these rivers from pollution; and
(d) the details of the said schemes and the smaller rivers and drains that have been included other than the major rivers under this scheme?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)

(a) & (b) Rivers in the country are polluted and contaminated mainly due to discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage from cities/towns and industrial effluents in their respective catchments. On-point source of pollution like erosion, transportation and sedimentation of rocks, soils, agriculture runoff, open defecation and runoff from solid waste dumping sites, etc. also contribute to pollution of river. As per the report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) published in 2022, a total of 603 rivers in the country were monitored, and it was found that a total of 311 river stretches of 279 rivers were polluted, including 9 polluted river stretches of Ranchi and other districts of Jharkhand. List is at

Annexure.

(c) & (d) It is the primary responsibility of the States/Union Territories/Local Bodies to ensure cleanliness of rivers. Cleaning and rejuvenation of rivers are ongoing activities. This Ministry has been supplementing efforts of the States/Union Territories (UTs)/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers/tributaries/minor rivers (except Ganga basin) in the country through the Centrally Sponsored

Scheme of National River Conservation Plan. Rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries including minor rivers is undertaken through the Central Sector scheme of Namami Gange Program. In the state of Jharkhand, under the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) for the rejuvenation of River Ganga and its tributaries, a total of five sewerage infrastructure projects have been sanctioned at a cost of ₹1,310.30 crore to create 261.5 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage treatment capacity. Sewage Treatment Capacity of 15.5 MLD has been created.

In addition, sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. Further, priority for effective rejuvenation of small rivers has been accorded under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).