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OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3545
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2026
Industrial Pollution in Ramganga River, Uttar Pradesh
3545. MRS RUCHI VIRA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:
(a) whether any assessment has been conducted to evaluate industrial pollution affecting the
Ramganga River in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any investigation has been conducted into heavy metal contamination caused by metal
processing industries;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken against the industrial units found responsible
during the last five years; and
(d) whether any river restoration programme has been prepared for the Moradabad stretch of the
Ramganga River?
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.
Ramganga River is presently being monitored at three locations under NWMP, including one
monitoring location each at Bijnor, Pauri Garhwal and Farrukhabad.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 and Priority V least polluted.
Under NWMP, in 2018, CPCB identified total 351 PRS including one PRS of Ramganga river
from Muradabad to Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh under Priority class IV (BOD 6 mg/L – 10 mg/ L).
The comprehensive action plans including plan for Industrial pollution control were prepared for
bringing the water quality of polluted river stretches to the quality level fit for bathing purposes
(i.e. BOD ˂ 3 mg/L). Progress of implementation of action plans is reviewed by the River
Rejuvenation Committees (RRC) at State level and Central Monitoring Committee (CMC)
constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti at Central Level. Withconcerted efforts, the total number of PRS in 2025 has been reduced to 296, which include one
PRS of Ramganga river from Kalagarh to Bijnaur under Priority class IV.
Further, 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. The Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring
Systems (OCEMS) are installed by Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) in the country as per
directives issued by CPCB. Based on the alerts generated from OCEMS, CPCB also conduct
surprise inspection of selected industries.
As informed by CPCB, Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) in the Metal Processing sector located
in Moradabad were inspected by joint team from third-party technical institutes and concerned
SPCB. During 2021 and 2022, no Metal Processing units has been listed under GPI category in
Moradabad District. However, 55, 51 and 23 Metal Processing units were found to be non-
compliant during inspections conducted in 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively. Out of the total 129
non-compliant units, Show Cause Notice has been issued to 124 units and 05 units have been
closed.
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