Parliament Question: Discharge of Untreated Industrial Waste and Sewage into Rivers

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6286 ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026 DISCHARGE OF UNTREATED INDUSTRIAL WASTE AND SEWAGE INTO RIVERS †6286. SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE: Dr. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) the immediate steps being taken by the Government to prevent the discharge of untreated industrial waste and sewage into rivers across the country, particularly in Maharashtra; (b) whether the Government has conducted any scientific study recently to assess the health risks faced by local communities due to polluted river water in the State and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government proposes to declare those critical regions where pollution level exceeds the safe limit, as “National River Emergency Zones” and if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government also proposes to involve local communities, religious institutions and volunteers in river rejuvenation efforts under a nationwide “Jan Bhagidari” initiative and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) Cleaning of rivers is a continuous process. It is the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories (UTs) to ensure proper treatment of sewage to the prescribed standards before discharge into the rivers or other water bodies. Discharge of industrial Effluents is monitored by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards/ Committee under the provision of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The Central Government has notified general discharge standards and also industry specific effluent discharge standards under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 to be complied by the industrial units, Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and/or Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) for prevention and control of pollution in water bodies. In case of non-compliance, punitive actions are taken by the regulatory bodies under the relevant statutory provisions. The Ministry of Jal Shakti supplements efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers in the country through a Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for Ganga and its tributaries, and a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. 1Under NRCP, STPs of 28 million litres per day (MLD) at Karad, 27 MLD at Sangli, 78 MLD at Kolhapur, 26 MLD at Nanded, 100 MLD at Nashik, 1 MLD at Trimbakeshwar and 74 MLD at Pune have been created for pollution abatement of rivers Krishna, Panchganga, Godavari and Mula-Mutha in Maharashtra. (b) In order to use river water for different purposes, CPCB sets distinct quality criteria for river water categorizing it based on its intended use. For drinking purposes water must meet Class A standards after disinfection and no conventional treatment and Class B for outdoor bathing. As per information available in Ministry of Jal Shakti there is no scientific study being conducted to assess health hazards faced by local communities due to contaminated river water. (c) Under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP), CPCB, in association with Pollution Control Boards/ Committees in different States/Union Territories (UTs), monitors the water quality of rivers and other water bodies through a network of 4922 monitoring stations. Of these, 2265 locations are on rivers across the country, inclusive of 182 locations on rivers in Maharashtra. Based on the organic load measured in terms of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration, locations/ stretches not meeting the primary water quality criterion for outdoor bathing are identified as polluted river stretches (PRS) as Priority-I with BOD > 30.0 milligram per litre (mg/l), Priority-II (20.1-30.0 mg/l), Priority-III (10.1-20.0 mg/l), Priority-IV (6.1-10.0 mg/l) and Priority-V (3.1-6.0 mg/l). The latest report published by CPCB in 2025 is available at https://cpcb.nic.in/reports- 3/. In Maharashtra, 54 PRS were identified in 2025. (d) Under NRCP and Namami Gange, financial assistance is provided to the participating States/UTs for undertaking various conservation/rejuvenation activities including education and awareness among the local people, students and stakeholders on the value, functions and ecological service of rivers through awareness campaign/publications, pamphlets, video films, yatra, slogan, drawings/essay competition etc. ‘Jan Ganga’ is an important pillar of the Namami Gange which focuses on public awareness and building community ownership to transform river conservation through public engagement. 139 District Ganga Committees (DGCs) have been constituted across the 5 Ganga Basin States to oversee the pollution abatement and ensure people’s participation at the district level. Further, the volunteer cadres including Ganga Vichaar Manch, Ganga/Yamuna Task Force, Ganga Prahari, Ganga Sewa Doots etc. are engaged to organize awareness campaigns and other IEC activities in schools, colleges and communities. In 2021, Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA):Catch the Rain was expanded across the country with a focus on rainwater harvesting, inventory and rejuvenation of water bodies, establishment of Jal Shakti Kendras, afforestation activities and intensive awareness generation. To further strengthen JSA:Catch the Rain, the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) initiative was launched in Surat on 6th September, 2024. The programme emphasizes people’s participation and collective efforts for water conservation at the grassroots level. ***** 2