New Delhi (The Hawk): Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors water quality of 719 rivers at 2108 monitoring locations across 28 States and 7 Union Territories spread over the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). State Wise Water Quality Monitoring locations monitored under NWMP is given at Annexure I.
The rivers are monitored on monthly or quarterly basis. Water Quality for various parameters is assessed as per “Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring, 2017” issued by MoEF&CC. Micro pollutants such as metals and pesticides are monitored twice in a year, before and after monsoon.
From analysis of data on water quality of 521 rivers in September 2018 by CPCB, it was revealed that there are 351 polluted river stretches on 323 rivers based on exceedance of Bathing Water Quality Criteria parameter of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (3.0 mg/l). Details of identified polluted river stretches are given in Annexure II. Accordingly, for rejuvenation of identified polluted rivers, action plans have been prepared by four-member Committee called “River Rejuvenation Committee’’ (RRC) constituted by the respective State Government/UT Administration, under the overall supervision and coordination of Principal Secretary, Environment of the concerned State/Union Territory. Prepared action plans covers aspects such as Source control (Municipal sewage management, Industrial pollution control, Waste management), River catchment/Basin Management (Adoption of good irrigation practices, Utilization of treated sewage, Ground water recharge aspects), Flood Plain Zone protection and its management (Setting up of bio-diversity parks, Removal of encroachments, Rain water harvesting, Plantation on both sides of the river), Ecological/Environmental Flow (E-Flow) and Watershed management.
The Regional Offices of State Pollution Control Board/ Pollution Control Committees monitor the water quality of rivers and other aquatic resources. Upon completion of the monitoring and analysis, the water quality data is submitted to the respective SPCBs/PCCs. Further an online submission of data to CPCB is done through Environmental water quality data entry system (EWQDS) Portal.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
