Parliament Question: Groundwater Management under Namami Gange Programme

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1894 ANSWERED ON 30.07.2026 GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT UNDER NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME 1894. Smt. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH: Shri RAMESH AWASTHI: Shri DULU MAHATO: Shri SUKHJINDER SINGH RANDHAWA: Shri ARUN GOVIL: Shri RAJKUMAR CHAHAR: Shri BUNTY VIVEK SAHU: Dr. SANJAY JAISWAL: Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government under the Namami Gange Programme to strengthen groundwater management across the Ganga basin and the catchment areas of tributaries such as the Kanhan and Pench rivers in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh along with the improvements achieved so far in groundwater levels and water quality as a result of these initiatives, State-wise; (b) the progress made so far towards preparing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for engineered groundwater recharge along the main stem of the Ganga river and the concrete steps being taken to address the water crisis in the said district of Madhya Pradesh therefrom; (c) the reasons for delay in implementation, the timeline fixed and the details of the pilot projects proposed therein; 1(d) the details of the measures/budgetary provision undertaken for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation under the said programme including riverine area of Chhindwara, the expenditure incurred thereon, the outcomes achieved and their impact on major aquatic species of the Ganga and the riparian ecosystem; (e) whether any project related to groundwater recharge, Ganga conservation and groundwater management is approved or under implementation under the said programme in Western Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Meerut, Hapur and Garhmukteshwar regions and if so, the details and the present status thereof; (f) whether the Government proposes any special scheme for groundwater recharge by utilising water from abandoned mines to address the worsening groundwater crisis in the coal mining areas of Dhanbad falling under the Ganga sub-basin and if so, the details thereof; and (g) the concrete steps being taken to prevent the discharge of contaminated water from the industrial and mining areas of Dhanbad from entering the tributaries of Ganga (such as Damodar) and to promote water harvesting? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) to (c) The Government of India (GoI) launched the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) for the rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries. Under the Namami Gange Programme, a diverse and holistic set of interventions for cleaning and rejuvenation of river Ganga have been taken up, that includes pollution abatement, ecological restoration, wastewater treatment, riverfront management, ensuring e- flow, rural sanitation, afforestation, biodiversity conservation and public participation. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), undertakes periodic groundwater- level and groundwater-quality monitoring and Dynamic Ground Water 2Resources Assessment in Madhya Pradesh, including Chhindwara district. As per the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment, 2025, the Total Annual Ground Water Recharge of Chhindwara district has been assessed as 88,260.54 hectare metres (ham), while the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource is 82,881.36 ham. The Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses has been assessed as 49,994.57 ham, resulting in a Stage of Ground Water Extraction of 60.32%. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has completed the National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) Project in the entire mappable area of about 11815 sq. km in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. The Aquifer maps and management plans have been prepared and shared with the respective State agencies for implementation. The management plans include supply-side interventions in the form of rainwater harvesting by artificial recharge and water conservation structures to be implemented by the State Govt. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) organized a National Workshop on "Towards Hydraulic Harmony in Ganga Basin - Restoring and Maintaining the Inter-Relationship of Surface Flow and Sub-Surface (Groundwater) Systems" on 07.03.2026 with various stakeholders. The workshop deliberated on scientific, technical and policy aspects of river–aquifer interaction. (d) Under the Namami Gange Programme, NMCG has undertaken biodiversity and ecosystem conservation interventions in the Ganga River Basin through scientific institutions, including the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), ICAR– Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI), Turtle Survival Alliance Foundation India (TSAFI) and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), along with State Forest Departments and other conservation organisations. These interventions include conservation and monitoring of aquatic and riparian biodiversity; conservation of the Ganges River Dolphin, gharial, turtles, otters, fish and threatened bird species; rescue and rehabilitation of aquatic fauna; fish conservation and river ranching; wetland 3conservation; biodiversity parks; afforestation; and community-based conservation. Outcomes achieved:  2,850 km of priority Gangetic Dolphin habitat identified across 22 rivers.  7,680 km of river stretches surveyed, documenting 3,037 gharials and supporting preparation of the National Gharial Conservation Action Plan.  More than 1,500 freshwater turtle hatchlings produced and 711 turtles released into the River Ganga through conservation breeding programmes.  893 gharial yearlings and 1,899 turtles released into their natural habitats.  National Centre for River Research (NCRR) established at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.  Delineation of six conservation priority zones for focused management.  Rescue and rehabilitation of around 6,800 aquatic animals.  Mobilization of over 5,500 Ganga Praharis across 113 districts.  Rescue ambulance developed for stranded Ganges River Dolphins.  Hilsa ranching station established at Farakka, West Bengal.  2.05 crore fish seeds (Indian Major Carps, Mahseer and Hilsa) ranched.  215 fish species (206 native and 9 exotic) documented in the River Ganga.  7 Biodiversity Parks are being developed in Uttar Pradesh. 4 A total area of 33,024 hectares covered under plantation across the 5 Ganga basin states.  Wetland restoration and scientific management expanded across Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Impact on major aquatic species and the riverine ecosystem: The interventions have led to significant improvements in the conservation and restoration of the Ganga riverine ecosystem by strengthening critical aquatic habitats, enhancing ecological connectivity and improving scientific understanding of biodiversity across the basin. Conservation measures have contributed to the protection and recovery of flagship species such as the Ganges River Dolphin, gharial, freshwater turtles, otters and several native fish species through habitat protection, rescue and rehabilitation, conservation breeding, and river ranching programmes. Wetland restoration, riparian afforestation and biodiversity park development have enhanced ecosystem functions, including improved habitat quality, increased ecological resilience, and strengthened breeding and feeding grounds for aquatic and avian fauna. Community participation through Ganga Praharis and institutional strengthening has further reinforced long-term biodiversity conservation, scientific monitoring and sustainable management of the Ganga river basin, thereby supporting the ecological health and resilience of the river ecosystem. An expenditure of approximately ₹ 600 crores has been incurred on these interventions since 2015–16. No biodiversity or wetland conservation project covering the riverine areas of Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, has been undertaken by NMCG. (e) For the rejuvenation of the River Ganga and its tributaries in 26 districts of western Uttar Pradesh, NMCG has sanctioned 33 sewerage infrastructure projects at an estimated cost of ₹6,409 crore, with a 5cumulative sewage treatment capacity of 1,278 MLD for the abatement of pollution in rivers. Out of these, 16 STP projects with a total treatment capacity of 354 MLD have been completed and are operational. (Annexure) In Garhmukteshwar, a 9 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹47 crore and completed. In Meerut, a 220 MLD STP has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹691 crore, while in Hapur, a 6 MLD STP has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹49 crore. (f) No such proposal is under consideration under the Namami Gange Programme. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has informed that as per the Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment, 2025, the Total Annual Ground Water Recharge of Dhanbad district has been assessed as 28,046.55 hectare metres (ham), the Annual Extractable Ground Water Resource as 26,369.39 ham, and the Annual Ground Water Extraction for all uses as 19,681.13 ham. Accordingly, the Stage of Ground Water Extraction has been assessed as 74.64 per cent. Further, no separate scheme for groundwater recharge through utilisation of water from abandoned mines is presently under implementation by CGWB. However, groundwater conservation and sustainable groundwater management in mining areas are addressed through the Guidelines notified by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on 24 September 2020, as amended on 29 March 2023, for regulation of groundwater extraction by industrial, infrastructure and mining projects. The said guidelines have following provisions for water conservation and limiting water usage: 6 Project proponents are required to install rooftop rainwater harvesting systems in the project premises as per the applicable building bye-laws.  Mining project proponents are required to adopt advance dewatering technology through a series of dewatering abstraction structures, wherever applicable, to minimize contamination of surface water.  Mining projects are also required to establish and monitor observation wells/piezometers and undertake periodic groundwater level and water quality monitoring to facilitate sustainable groundwater management. (g) Under the Namami Gange Programme, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has sanctioned an Interception & Diversion (I&D) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) project for the pollution abatement of the River Damodar in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, at an estimated cost of ₹808.33 crores with a treatment capacity of 192 MLD. *** 7ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *1894 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2026 REGARDING “GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT UNDER NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME” List of pollution abatement project sanctioned in 26 districts of western Uttar Pradesh, under Namami Gange Programme Sanctioned STP S District Name of works Project cost Capacity No. (in Cr.) (MLD) Interception & Diversion with Rehabilitation of sewerage 1 Agra 842.25 177.6 scheme at Agra (HAM) Tapping of balance drains & augmentation of sewage pumping 2 Agra 126.41 0 stations (SPSs) at Agra 3 Aligarh Interception & Diversion and STP works at Aligarh (HAM) 496.02 113 4 Baghpat Interception & Diversion and STP works of Baghpat Town 77.36 14 5 Bareilly Interception & Diversion works and STP at Bareilly (HAM) 271.39 63 6 Bijnor Faecal Sludge Management (Co-treatment) at Bijnor (FSTP) 0.39 0 7 Bulandsahar Sewerage scheme at Narora, Bulandshar 48.45 4 8 Bulandsahar Sewerage Works in Anup Shahar, Buland Shahar 75.79 2.5 9 Bulandsahar Interception & Diversion and STP works at Gulaothi 50.99 10 10 Firozabad Firozabad Sewerage Scheme (Interception & Diversion) works 51.08 0 11 Hapur Sewerage system & STP works at Garmukteshwar 46.51 9 12 Hapur I&D and STP works at Hapur 49.06 6 13 Hathras I&D and STP works at Hathras 128.91 24 14 Kasganj Interception & Diversion with STP at Kasganj 76.73 15 Rehabilaition of Sewerage Infrastructure & 15 Mathura 42.82 4 Augmenation/Upgradation at vrindavan Rehabilaition/Renovation of Mathura sewerage scheme : 16 Mathura 460.45 67.3 Construction of 30 MLD STP at Masani (Mathura) (HAM) 17 Mathura I&D and STP Works for balance drains at Mathura (HAM) 292.56 60 18 Mathura I&D and STP Works at Chhata 56.15 6 19 Mathura I&D and STP Works at Kosi 66.59 12 20 Mathura I&D and STP Works Vrindavan 77.7 13 21 Meerut Pollution Abatement Works for River Kali Meerut (HAM) 690.71 220 22 Moradabad Sewerage system & STP works (Phase I ) at Moradabad 330.05 58 Pollution Abatement Works for River Ram Ganga at Moradabad 23 Moradabad 149.23 25 (Sewerage Zone-2) (HAM) Interception & Diversion of drains of Moradabad Zone-3 & 24 Moradabad Zone-4 with STP & other appurtenant works at Moradabad 420.41 80 (HAM) Interception & Diversion works and STP at Muzaffarnagar 25 Muzaffarnagar 234.03 54.5 (HAM) 26 Muzaffarnagar Interception & Diversion works and STP at Budhana (HAM) 48.76 10 Interception & Diversion (I&D) and Sewage Treatment Plant 27 Saharanpur 577.23 135 works at Saharanpur (HAM) 28 Saharanpur Interception & Diversion and STP works at Deoband 134.71 20 29 Shamli Interception & Diversion works for Kairana 78.42 15 30 Shamli I&D and STP works at Banat 48.71 5 31 Shamli I&D and STP works at Babri & Bantikhera 55.47 5 32 Shamli I&D and STP works at Thanabhawan 97.19 10 33 Shamli I&D and STP works at Shamli 206.02 40 Total 6408.55 1277.90 ***** 8