Cleaning of river is a continuous process and Government of India is supplementing the efforts of the State Government in addressing the challenges of pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries by providing financial and technical assistance under NamamiGangeProgramme. Under this programme, a diverse set of interventions for cleaning and rejuvenation of river Ganga has been taken up including waste water treatment, solid waste management, river front management (ghats and crematoria development), maintaining continuous flow, rural sanitation, afforestation, biodiversity conservation and Public Participation etc.
Under NamamiGangeProgramme, so far, a total of 353 projects have been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.30,458Crore, out of which 178 projects have been completed and made operational. 157 sewerage infrastructure projects from among these have been taken up with a sanctioned cost of Rs. 24,249 Crore for creation & rehabilitation of 4952 MLD of STP capacity and laying of around 5212 KM sewerage network, out of which, 74 projects have been completed resulting in creation & rehabilitation of 1092 MLD of STP capacity and laying of 3752 KM sewerage network.
On the Ganga main stem towns, projects have been taken up to create 3341 MLD sewage treatment capacity against the generation of 2953 MLD (in 2016). The sewage treatment capacity in main stem towns have increased from 1305 MLD (2014) to 2372 MLD (November 2021). 42 projects have been taken up in towns located along rivers Yamuna, Kali, Ramganga, Saryu, Gomti, Damodar, Banka, Rispana, Kharkai, Kosi and BurhiGandak.
Development of Ghats & Crematoria works in select cities have been taken up. 61 projects (including one river front development project in Patna) were sanctioned for construction of 210 ghats and 57 crematoria. Out of these, 173 ghats and 45 crematoria have been completed.
During last three years, 39 projects under NamamiGangeProgramme have been completed. Further, 572 MLD of installed sewage treatment capacity added in the towns along river Ganga main stem.
As per CPCB Water Quality Median data for 2021(January to May), the observed water quality of river Ganga indicates that Dissolved Oxygen (DO) which is an indicator of river health has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria across all 84 monitoring locations. Other important river health indicators i.e. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC) have also been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria across 68 monitoring locations (out of 84 locations) and 33 monitoring locations (out of 80 locations) respectively. As a result of multi sectoral interventions, the median values of these water quality parameters viz., Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC) have improved at 40 locations, 41 locations and 21 locations respectively in 2021 (January-May) as compared to 2014.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, ShriBishweswarTuduin a written reply in LokSabha today.
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BY/AS