Namami Gange: CPCB Assessment Indicates Progress For Ganga River Quality, As Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Content Reaches Acceptable Limits For Entire Stretch

On 13 March 2023, Bishweswar Tudu, the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, submitted a written response in Rajya Sabha regarding the progress made in enhancing the water quality of the Ganga River and the fund allocations under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The budget allocations for NMCG since its inception on 12 August 2011 to FY 2022-2023, has been Rs 18,743.97 crore, as per a PIB report.

Further, the amount released to NMCG by the government so far is Rs 14,772.77 crore.

Out of the released amount, as of 31 January 2023, the NMCG has disbursed Rs 14,155.82 crore to multiple agencies for executing projects and initiatives aimed at reducing pollution, preserving, and restoring river Ganga and its tributaries.  

The detailed information for the year-wise budgetary allocations and funds allocated by NMCG, along with state wise disbursals, can be studied through the report.

Under the programme, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been carrying out research with the corresponding State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) to evaluate the water quality of the river — at 97 locations in five main stem states.

The primary focus of the quality evaluation is to determine compliance with the water quality standards notified for outdoor bathing.

Based on the assessment by CPCB in main stem States, in 2022, the observed quality indicates that the median value of dissolved oxygen (DO) is found within the acceptable limits of the notified bathing water quality standards.

Additionally, it has reached satisfactory levels to support the ecosystem of river for almost entire stretch of river Ganga. The median value of DO is an indicator of the river health.

The studied stretches include — Kannauj (Rajghat) to Kala Kankar (Pratapgarh) and Mirzapur to Tarighat, Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, and Shitalatala, Palta in West Bengal.

In addition, the mission has mandated annual inspections of all Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) located in the main stem of the Ganga River since 2017.

From 2020, this inspection has been expanded to include GPIs that may discharge into the Yamuna River and its tributaries.

For the year 2021-2022, out of the inspections carried for 2,706 GPIs, 159 were permanently closed and 298 industries were temporarily closed.

Of the remaining 2,249 GPIs, 2,175 industries were found complying while 74 were found to be non-complying.

Following this, the concerned SPCBs have issued show-cause notices to four of the non-complying GPIs and a closure direction to other 70 non-complying industries.