Cleaning of Hindon River The Government is aware of excess industrial and municipal discharge in the Hindon river. The assessment of the water quality of river Hindon by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) indicates that the river is not meeting the criteria with respect to Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, BOD, Total Coliform and Faecal Coliform. The Dissolved Oxygen as low as 0.4 mg/l has been observed downstream Saharanpur. The high level of BOD can be attributed to discharge of industrial effluents from number of electroplating and tannery units. River Hindon receives the municipal as well as industrial effluents from the township of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat and Gautam Buddhnagar. Under the Centrally sponsored scheme of Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) Phase-I, the towns of Saharanpur, Muzzafarnagar, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budhnagar located along Hindon, which is a tributary of river Yamuna, have been covered. Pollution abatement works pertaining to interception, diversion and treatment of sewage, low cost sanitation, improved wood crematoria, afforestation, public participation and awareness, etc. and amounting to Rs 159.35 crore have been implemented in these four towns to reduce the domestic pollution load in river Hindon. A sewage treatment capacity of 269.5 million liters per day (mld) has been created in these towns under YAP Phase-I. As per the information received from U.P. Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), out of the 108 major water polluting industries discharging their waste water directly into river Hindon, 107 industries have installed effluent treatment plants and one unit has been closed down by UPPCB. Notices have been issued by UPPCB to 1 distillery unit, 5 sugar mills and 4 industrial units to comply with various pollution control norms. Additional steps taken by CPCB to control water pollution include: Industrial pollution control measures taken under the provision of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution), Act, 1974; A mutually agreed time targeted programme is implemented under Corporate Responsibility on Environment Protection (CREP) on various commitments; Special Drives: 17 categories of industries with zero liquid discharge, wherever feasible; Intensive monitoring of industries discharging effluent into rivers and lakes; Promotion of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units; Urban centres discharging wastewater in aquatic resources and having no treatment facilities have been identified and recommended for appropriate action to respective authorities; Identified urban centres are being considered under various River Action Plans for interception, diversion and development of treatment facilities; The depletion of flow in the rivers is one of the major factor for water quality degradation. Steps are being taken to augment flow in rivers for ecological consideration and the respective ministries concerned such as Water Resources and Power are being persuaded to provide adequate flow in the rivers so that rivers can attain its ecological balance including desired water quality for various beneficial uses; With respect to industrial effluents, consent management for compliance of standards is being enforced by SPCBs/PCCs to improve the water quality of the rivers; This information was given by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti in a written reply in Lok Sabha today. Samir/jk
