**Executive Summary**
This document, published by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on December 1, 2025, outlines the ongoing efforts to address river pollution in India. It details the responsibilities of States/Union Territories (UTs), Urban Local Bodies, and industries regarding sewage and effluent treatment. The document highlights various initiatives and programs aimed at river conservation and restoration, including Central Government schemes.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Responsibilities:**
* States/UTs and Urban Local Bodies must ensure proper treatment of sewage and industrial effluents before discharge.
* States/UTs/Local Bodies and industrial units must install sewage and effluent treatment plants, comply with standards, and are monitored by CPCB.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* Ministry supplements efforts with financial and technical assistance (e.g., "Namami Gange," NRCP).
* Sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission.
* Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) launched annually for water conservation and management.
* **Industry Compliance and Monitoring:**
* CPCB monitors compliance and takes action against violators.
* Industries encouraged to reduce waste water through technological advancements and reuse.
* Out of 4,493 GPIs, 3031 are compliant, 572 received show-cause notices, and 29 received closure directions.
* **Polluted River Stretches (PRSs):**
* 296 PRSs identified on 271 rivers in 32 States/UTs.
* States/UTs must prepare action plans for restoration of these stretches.
* States/UTs must submit proposals for Central Government schemes consideration.
* **Public Awareness and Involvement:**
* Activities such as river cleaning drives, yatras, and competitions are conducted.
* Jalaj Centers promote community participation and conservation awareness.
* Ganga Paharis are deployed as local community members to protect and conserve rivers in the Ganga basin.
* **Water Quality Standards:**
* CPCB sets distinct water quality criteria based on intended use.
* Drinking water must meet Class A standards; Class B for outdoor bathing.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/Union Territories (UTs)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for ensuring sewage and industrial effluent treatment and for preparing action plans for PRS restoration. They must submit proposals to the Central Government for scheme consideration.
* **Action Required:** Prepare and implement action plans for PRS restoration and submit proposals to the Central Government.
**Urban Local Bodies**
* **Impact:** Responsible for ensuring sewage and industrial effluent treatment.
* **Action Required:** Ensure proper treatment of sewage and industrial effluents before discharge.
**Industries**
* **Impact:** Required to install and maintain treatment plants, comply with standards, and reduce wastewater generation. Face monitoring and punitive action for non-compliance.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with environmental standards, reduce wastewater generation, and respond to any notices or directions from regulatory bodies.
**Local Communities and NGOs**
* **Impact:** Involvement in river conservation and rejuvenation efforts, increased awareness.
* **Action Required:** Participate in river conservation activities, raise awareness, and contribute to community partnership efforts.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: Union Government ministry responsible for water resources
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): National body responsible for pollution control and monitoring.
Namami Gange: Integrated conservation mission to rejuvenate the river Ganga.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: Indian Act providing a framework for environmental protection.
Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974: Indian Act to provide for the prevention and control of water pollution
Ministry of Jal Shakti
SCIENTIFIC STUDY ON HEALTH HAZARD DUE
TO RIVER POLLUTION
प्रव तथ: 01 DEC 2025 7:16PM by PIB Delhi
Cleaning/rejuvenation of rivers is an ongoing process. It is the primary responsibility of States/Union
Territories (UTs) and Urban Local Bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents
to the prescribed norms before discharging into the rivers and other water bodies
For conservation of rivers, the Ministry has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs by providing
financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of the rivers in the
country through Central Sector scheme of “Namami Gange” for the rivers in Ganga basin, and Centrally
Sponsored Schemes of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers Basins.
In addition, sewerage infrastructure is created under programs like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,
1974, States/UTs/Local Bodies and industrial units are required to install sewage and effluent treatment
plants and comply with prescribed standards. CPCB, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control
Committees monitor compliance and take punitive action against violators. In addition, the industries are
encouraged to reduce their waste water generation by technological advancement, reuse/recycle of waste
water and maintain Zero Liquid Discharge where ever possible.
As per CPCB, there are total of 4,493 industries under Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs). Out of which,
3633 number of industries were operational and 860 industries had closed down on their own. Amongst
the operational industries, 3031 industries were reported to be complying with the environmental
standards, while show-cause notices issued to 572 industries, closure directions issued to 29 non-
complying industries and direction issued to 1.
As per the latest Report on ‘Polluted River Stretches (PRSs) for Restoration of Water Quality’ in rivers
published by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2025, based on pollution assessment of 623
rivers,296 PRSs were identified on 271 rivers in 32 States/Union Territories (UTs). Details of the same are
available at
https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvMTc3N18xNzYwNjgxNDA4X21lZGlhcG
hvdG80MzkyLnBkZg==
The concerned States/UTs are required to prepare action plans for restoration of these stretches. In
addition, these States/UTs are also requested to submit proposals based on severity of polluted stretchers
for consideration under the schemes run by the Central Government.
In order to use river waters 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. Moreover, as per Jal JeevanMission portal, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation have provided 12.51 crores Rural
Household Tap Water Connection since launch of Mission and overall having coverage of 81 percent of
total rural households.
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.
The local authorities, communities and NGOs are involved in the efforts for reduction in river pollution
and river rejuvenation across the country. Some of the initiatives taken for the involvement of stakeholders
in river conservation are as below:
In February 2025, under the public awareness campaign, various activities, such as cultural programme,
Aarti on the banks of rivers, river cleaning drives, yatras, slogans/drawing/essay competitions etc. were
carried out at various places in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala,
Manipur, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand etc. for
awareness/participation of public in conservation of rivers.
Jalaj Centers have been established by National Mission for Clean Ganga on various models such as
Dolphin Safaris, Home Stays, Livelihood Centers, Awareness and Sale Points etc. to promote community
participation and conservation awareness. Further, Ganga Paharis have been deployed as local community
members trained as volunteers to protect and conserve biodiversity and cleanliness of rivers in Ganga
basin.
Namami Gange Program has been recognized as one of the top ten World Restoration Flagship initiatives
during United Nations (UN) Conference on Biological Diversity by UN Decade, primarily for halting and
reversing riverine environmental degradation, with peoples’ active participation.
The Ganga Utsav is celebrated as a tribute to the holy Ganges, emphasizing river rejuvenation and
environmental awareness. Nation-wide exercise was conducted to raise public awareness about the
importance of rivers and their conservation.
Nation-wide, various initiatives have been taken to promote the cleanliness of the rivers, sanitation, and
solid waste management under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) has been launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, as an
annual feature, for water conservation and management, reviving water bodies including rivers, public
awareness, involvement of local bodies and communities and promoting water use efficiency. To further
strengthen the momentum of JSA:CTR, the " Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidhari", a collaborative effort with
community partnership, has been launched in Surat, Gujarat on 06.09.2024 with the aim to enhance water
recharge through rain water harvesting/aquifer recharge/borewell recharge/recharge shafts etc and shown
very good results.
The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ
BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
***
ND
(Rajya Sabha US Q102)
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इस वज्ञ को इन भाषाओ ंम पढ़: Urdu , ही