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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2567
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026
Environmental Degradation in Karnataka
2567. SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of worsening environmental degradation, including
deforestation, water and air pollution and ground water depletion in Karnataka; and
(b) if so, the corrective steps taken to address the same so far?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) and (b): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) regulates
environment, forest, water and air quality by enactment of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Indian
Forest Act, 1927, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and different Rules, Regulations based on the said acts to implement
various Schemes for protection and development of air and water bodies, environment and forest.
As per the provisions of the above said acts, all industrial units and other establishments generating
industrial effluents, emissions are required to comply with the stipulated standards before release of
emission and discharging of effluents into rivers and water bodies.
State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees, through Consent mechanism under the
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act, 1981, monitor the establishment and operation of industries and polluting activities through
prescription of pollution control measures and monitoring the compliance of environmental standards.
To control Air pollution in the country, Government of India has launched the National Clean Air
Programme (NCAP) in 2019 as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to address air pollution
in 130 non-attainment and million plus cities/urban agglomeration in 24 States/UTs which includes 04
Cities of Karnataka namely Bengaluru, Devanagere, Gulburga and Hubli-Dharwad.
Air quality performance grant of Rs. 625.93 crore has been provided to above mentioned cities of
Karnataka for implementation of city action plans to take measures to improve air quality.Clean Air State Action Plan (SAP) for Karnataka has been prepared by the State-level Air Quality
Monitoring Committee (AQMC). The SAP incorporates State-specific schemes, policies, and targeted
interventions aimed at improving ambient air quality in a sustained manner in the whole State. It includes
sector-wise action points addressing vehicular emissions, construction and demolition waste
management, road dust mitigation, control of biomass burning, and industrial emissions.
To monitor the air quality in the State, Karnataka has an air quality network of total 73 stations (42
CAAQMS and 31 Manual stations) across 29 cities in the State. Out of which, Bengaluru has 23 ambient
air quality monitoring stations (14 CAAQMS and 09 manual stations).
Due to various interventions taken by the Government, out of 4 non-attainment / million plus cities of
Karnataka, decrease in PM10 concentration has been observed in 3 cities in FY 2024-25 as compared to
levels during FY 2017-18.
To control industrial pollution, the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
has notified “Standards for Emission or Discharge of Environmental Pollutants for various industries”
under Schedule-I of the Environment Protection Rules, 1986.
Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has informed that the cement industries are mandated
to provide Air Pollution Control equipment such as Electrostatic Precipitator and Bag House / Bag Filters
for effective dust control from process stacks, material handling/ transfer points, coal mills, packing
section etc., to meet the standards stipulated under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. Further,
cement industries are mandated to provide Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (OCEMS)
on the major stacks as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines, and ensure real time data
connectivity to KSPCB/ CPCB server, along with provision of Continuous Ambient Air Quality
Monitoring (CAAQM) stations for continuous monitoring of ambient air and effective implementation
of fugitive dust control measures. A specific condition is also stipulated in the consent mandating units
to adhere with CPCB guidelines for fugitive dust control and Standard Operating Procedure for co-
processing of wastes. A specific condition to develop minimum greenbelt in the industry premises is also
stipulated in the Environment Clearances issued to cement industries, which is further emphasised
through the conditions prescribed in the Consent to Establish (CTE) / Consent to Operate (CTO) issued
to the industries, and verified for compliance by the KSPCB.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) identified critically, severely and other polluted industrial areas
in Karnataka based on Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index (CEPI), namely Peenya, Bidar,
Bhadravati, Mangalaore, KIADB Industrial Area and Raichur Industrial areas. Action plans for reducing
the CEPI score in these industrial areas have been prepared and implemented by Karnataka State
Pollution Control Board.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards
(SPCBs), and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in Union Territories has established a National
Water Quality Monitoring Network (NWMP) in order to regularly assess status of water quality of water
resources to facilitate prevention and control of pollution in water bodies. Under NWMP, 325 monitoring
locations including rivers, Lakes, Ponds & Tanks in the State of Karnataka has been established. Based
on the assessment of water quality data for the year 2022 and 2023 the polluted river stretches have been
identified in year 2025. In Karnataka, 14 PRS (03 PRS under Priority Class-I, 04 PRS under PriorityClass-III, 02 PRS under Priority Class-IV and 05 PRS under Priority Class-V) have been identified in the
current assessment.
For rejuvenation of these polluted river stretches, action plans were prepared by River Rejuvenation
Committees (RRC’s) constituted by the State Government, under the overall supervision and
coordination of Principal Secretary, Environment Department of the State. Based on the comparative
assessment of PRS identified in year 2018 and 2025, 04 PRS which were identified in the state of
Karnataka during 2018 assessment are not identified during 2025 assessment. Further, 05 PRS have been
shifted to lower priority class reflecting improvement in water quality based on assessment of water
quality data for the years 2022 and 2023.
Karnataka has a total of 316 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), including the Greater Bengaluru Authority
(GBA), of which 27 are covered under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation
(AMRUT) and 288 fall under the non-AMRUT category. Across the State, sewage treatment facilities
have been established in 132 ULBs to treat domestic sewage and sullage.
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) conducts periodic groundwater quality monitoring to identify both
contaminated and non-contaminated areas including urban areas in the country. Data collected by CGWB
for Karnataka indicated that about 68.55 % of the analyzed wells exhibit rising water levels, whereas
about 31.08 % of the analyzed wells have shown declining water levels. CGWB has prepared District
Recharge Plan for 18 water stressed districts of Karnataka in the year 2022-23. The district recharge plans
have been shared with Ground Water Department, Govt. of Karnataka.
Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) also issues notifications and directions to State Governments
and the Administrators of the UTs to adopt Roof Top Rainwater Harvesting (RTRWH) in all the ‘Critical’
and ‘Over-exploited’ assessment units (blocks/Taluks/Districts/Valley/Islands/Region/Tehsil, etc.) in the
country and in all the Government buildings under their jurisdiction.
National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by Department of Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, that inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation
of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. It
also inter-alia, advocates conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure should be undertaken in a
scientifically planned manner through community participation.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019 as a time-bound, mission-mode
water conservation campaign in 256 water-stressed districts. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:
CTR) with the tagline: “Catch The Rain, Where It falls, When It Falls” was expanded pan India in 2021.
Vide Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari under JSA, 1,83,633 works of artificial groundwater recharge and storage
works, respectively have been completed across 31 Districts of Karnataka.
Ministry of Jal Shakti has notified guidelines for regulation of groundwater extraction by industries,
infrastructure and mining projects. The said guidelines have provisions for water conservation and
limiting water usage. Project Proponents (Industry, Infrastructure and Mining) are required to submit
Rainwater Harvesting Plan submitted to Government agency by the applicant or a proposal for rainwater
harvesting/ recharge in the project premises as per the prevailing Model Building Bye-Laws issued byMinistry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India for obtaining No Objection Certificate
(NOC) from CGWA for ground water extraction.
The Ministry provides technical and financial support to States and UTs through various schemes and
programmes of the Central Government for enhancement of forest cover including protection,
conservation and management of forests in the country. This includes the National Mission for a Green
India (GIM), Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM), Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), and
Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats. National Mission for a Green India (GIM) aims at
protection, restoration and enhancing India’s forest cover and responding to Climate Change by
undertaking eco-restoration/plantation activities. So far, a sum of Rs. 1,016.21 crores have been allocated
to seventeen States and one Union Territory, including Karnataka for plantation/ eco-restoration. The
Ministry is also implementing Nagar Van Yojana since 2020-21, funded through National Compensatory
Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), with an aim to create forest/ green
spaces in urban areas by developing Nagar Van/ Vatikas and to protect forest lands within cities/ towns
or its fringes from degradation and encroachment. Further, a plantation campaign “एक पेड़ माँ के नाम
#Plant4Mother” has also been launched on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024 to undertake
plantation activities across the country. This campaign follows the “Whole of Government” and “Whole
of Society” approach with participation of all stakeholders for increasing the green cover in the country.
The campaign has contributed large scale plantation aiding the enhancement of green cover in the
country. Under the campaign, during the years 2024-25 and 2025-26, the cumulative progress of
plantation reported by the States/UTs is more than 268 Crore saplings, including 5.83 crore saplings
planted in Karnataka State.
As per India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, Forest and tree cover in Karnataka in 2023 increased
by 8.53% and 31.40% respectively compared to 2013.
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