File Photo: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.
The government has identified 150 polluted stretches along various rivers in the country, the Lok Sabha was told on Wednesday.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said in a written reply that National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) now cover 42 rivers in 199 towns spread over 21 states at a sanctioned cost of Rs 10716.45 crore.
He said that till the end of March this year, the government has released Rs 5097.50 crore to state governments for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes.
He also said that 1193 schemes out of 1430 sanctioned schemes have been completed under NRCP and NGRBA.
"The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 150 polluting stretches along various rivers in the country based on Bio-Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution," Mr Javadekar said, adding that these stretches are in 27 states.
He said the sewage treatment capacity of 4957.98 million litres per day has been created so far under the two programmes NRCP and NGRBA.
He said that the state governments, apart from their own budgetary allocations, are also accessing financial assistance for creation of sewerage infrastructure including setting up of sewage treatment plants in various towns under central sector schemes like JNNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns.
Replying to another question, Mr Javadekar said CPCB has received 18 public complaints regarding release of industrial effluents from distilleries in the years 2012 and 2013.
Out of these 18, CPCB has forwarded five complaints to concerned state pollution control boards while 10 complaints were investigated by CPCB. Six out of the ten were issued directions under the Environment Protection Act 1986, he said.
He added that CPCB has also received 17 complaints regarding release of industrial effluent from paper mills during the last two years, out of which 12 complaints have been forwarded to concerned state governments while action has been taken on other two complaints.