Parliament Question: Industrial Pollution in Ramganga and Gomti Rivers

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4874 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026 Industrial Pollution in Ramganga and Gomti Rivers 4874. SHRI NEERAJ MAURYA: SHRI BABU SINGH KUSHWAHA: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) the details of actions taken by the Government to prevent pollution from industrial and other sources in Ramganga and Gomti Rivers and the water bodies near in Bareilly-Badaun and Jaunpur during the last five years; (b) whether the Government proposes any special budgetary provisions to develop a 'green belt' around the Ramganga Barrage, Gomti River and surrounding areas to conserve local biodiversity; (c) the steps taken to promote social forestry to facilitate the supply of raw materials to the cane, bamboo, furniture industries in Bareilly-Badaun including small-scale industries manufacturing woollen rug and carpet in Jaunpur region; and (d) whether the Government proposes to set up a real-time air quality monitoring stations in Aonla and Jaunpur to monitor air pollution in the region? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (d) Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality of aquatic resources in the country in association with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) at 4922 locations including 2265 locations on rivers under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP), to regularly assess status of water quality of water resources to facilitate prevention and control of pollution in water bodies. The water quality data under NWMP is utilised for identification of Polluted River Stretches (PRS), the location / stretches of rivers that are not meeting the Primary Water Quality criterion for outdoor bathing for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) parameter (indicator of organic pollution) are identified as polluted location/ stretches. The PRS are classified under Priority Class I to V, Priority I being most polluted with BOD value and Priority V least polluted. Based on the water quality data of 2022 and 2023, during 2025 CPCB identified one PRS each in River Ramganga and Gomti. Comprehensive action plans were prepared for rejuvenation of identified PRS by River Rejuvenation Committees (RRCs) constituted by the respective State Government/ UT Administration, under the overall supervision and coordination of Principal Secretary, Environment of the concerned State /Union Territory for bringing all the PRS fit forbathing purposes. The progress of the implementation of action plans is reviewed by the RRCs at State Level and by Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) constituted at Ministry of Jal Shakti at Central Level. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) organizes annual inspection of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) operating in river Ganga and Yamuna main stem States having potential to discharge into river Ganga & its tributaries, by joint teams of officials from third party technical institutes and State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) since 2017. Inspection also includes the GPIs discharging into river Ramganga and Gomti river in in Bareilly-Badaun and Jaunpur. The Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems (OCEMS) are installed by Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) in the country as per directives issued by CPCB. Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a total of 06 sewerage and septage management projects amounting to Rs. 506.79 crore have been grounded by the State of Uttar Pradesh in Bareilly, Badaun and Jaunpur City. 35 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of sewage treatment capacity has been created. Under AMRUT 2.0, one sewerage/septage management project worth Rs.15 Crore and 03 waterbody rejuvenation projects worth Rs. 7.8 crore have been approved in Bareilly City. Under the Namami Gange Programme, a total of 8 projects have been sanctioned for the rivers Ramganga and Gomti, with an approved cost of ₹1,953 crore and a total treatment capacity of 366 MLD. Out of these, 6 projects have been completed, providing a treatment capacity of 232 MLD. Further, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has developed convergence mechanism with other ministries such as Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Agriculture, etc. for river rejuvenation, biodiversity conservation, wetland protection and ecological restoration of river basins. To develop green belt and to conserve biodiversity, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched a number of afforestation schemes/programmes namely the Green India Mission (GIM). Nagar Van Yojana (NVY), School Nursery Yojana (SNY), the Eco- Development Forces (EDE) scheme, and funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), etc. Additionally, the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, launched on 5th June 2024, has the objectives of halting and reversing land degradation and preventing desertification, among others. Besides, the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) 2.0, implemented by the Department of Land Resources for the development of rainfed and degraded lands in the country, includes, inter alia, activities such as ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, pasture development, and livelihoods for asset-less persons, which contribute to soil conservation and afforestation with an emphasis on community participation. Under WDC- PMKSY, a total of 56 watershed projects covering an area of 2.64 lakh hectares at a total cost of 580.67 crores have been sanctioned to Uttar Pradesh for implementation from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025 26, including 2 projects in Bareilly, 2 projects in Budaun and 2 projects in Jaunpur. To promote social forestry, the restructured National Bamboo Mission (NBM) has been implemented in Uttar Pradesh since 2019-20. Major objectives of the Mission are to increase the availability of quality planting materials, area expansion of bamboo cultivation, improve post- harvest management, primary treatment and seasoning, preservation technologies, market infrastructure, product development, promote skill development and re-align efforts to reduce dependency on import of bamboo and bamboo products. The Bareilly Bamboo Cluster, under the NBM, is operational in Shahjahanpur district. In Shahjahanpur district, one bamboo nursery has been established, and bamboo plantations comprising 22,437 saplings across 41 hectares have been undertaken under the NBM. In addition, 75,636 bamboo saplings have been planted under various schemes of the Uttar Pradesh State Government since 2022-23.The installation and strengthening of real-time monitoring stations is determined by the respective SPCBs and PCCs based on criteria issued by CPCB. ***