Data on Pollution Levels of Ganga and Yamuna Rivers

Under the Namami Gange Programme and under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is generating and assessing data of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and levels of Faecal Coliforms (FC) for the river Ganga, Yamuna and other rivers etc.

Details of data of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and levels of Faecal Coliforms (FC) for the river Ganga for the last 3 years (2018, 2019 and 2020) and the current year (January-May 2021) are provided in Annexure-I & II.

The water quality data of river Yamuna monitored during the period 2018 to October, 2021 is enclosed at Annexure- III.

 During 2018, CPCB has identified polluted river stretches in the country based on the water quality assessment of two years i.e., 2016 & 2017 considering theBiochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) concentration exceeding 3 mg/L. As per this, details of polluted stretches on Ganga & Yamuna are given below:

State-wise & Priority wise number of Polluted Stretches on River Ganga  (CPCB report, 2018)

As per median data of 2021 (January to May), no stretches fall in higher pollution level (priority I to IV) and there are only two stretches (Kannauj to Varanasi and Triveni to Diamond Harbour) under pollution priority V. Priority V is the least polluted criteria designed by CPCB.

Identified Polluted River Stretches on river Yamuna

Measures taken by the Government to prevent water of river Ganga and Yamuna from getting polluted and better the health of aforementioned rivers:-

Under Namami Gange Programme, a diverse set of interventions for cleaning and rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries have been taken up. These includes pollution abatement activities including domestic sewage, industrial effluent, solid waste etc., River front Management, AviralDhara, Rural Sanitation, Afforestation, Biodiversity Conservation, Public Participation etc. A total of 353 projects are taken up at a sanctioned cost of Rs.30,458 crore, out of which, 178 projects are completed.

The polluted river stretches in the country are being rejuvenated through approved action plans to achieve the target of outdoor bathing criteria notified by MoEF&CC. At present, State Governments are

implementing Action Plans drawn by State River Rejuvenation Committees for restoration of water quality of the identified polluted river stretches. The implementation is being monitored regularly at State level by Chief Secretary of the respective State/UT and at Central level by the Central Monitoring Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Stringent monitoring and regulation of industries and pollution sources is undertaken to assess the compliance status of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) for enforcing regulatory framework on the polluting industries. Stringent action is taken by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)/State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees against the GPIs discharging into main stem of Ganga River & its tributaries which are non-complying with respect to the prescribed norms.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) formulates and notifies standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants viz. air pollutants and water pollutants from industries, operations or processes with an aim to protect and improve the quality of the environment and abate environmental pollution.

Industry specific effluent/emission standards are notified under Schedule-I: ‘Standards for Emission or Discharge of Environmental Pollutants from Various Industries’ of Environment Protection Act, 1986. State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees in States and Union Territories, respectively are adhered to ensure the compliance of these standards. So far, 47 industry specific effluent standards and 63 industry specific emission standards have been notified.

Further, the identification and assessment of quality and quantity of major drains joining river Ganga and its tributaries, establishment/upgradation of Wastewater Treatment Plants (STPs and CETPs) for the towns located on Ganga main stem and its tributaries, performance evaluation of those STPs and CETPs are undertaken.

Construction works are under progress for 20 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plan (CETP) for Jajmau tannery cluster Kanpur, largest of its type in the country, for pollution abatement in River Ganga at a cost of Rs. 617 crore. This addresses a long-standing challenge posed to river Ganga due to pollution from tannery cluster in Jajmau area.

Up-gradation projects for other CETPs have been sanctioned in the tannery clusters of Unnao, Banther and textile cluster at Mathura.

This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written  reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Click here to read Annexure I

Click here to read Annexure II

Click here to read Annexure III

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Annexure-I

River water quality of 2018, 2019 and 2020 of River Ganga

Annexure-II

River water quality of 2021 (January-May) of River Ganga

Annexure-III

Water Quality of River Yamuna Monitored during 2018 to October, 2021 under NWMP