Government of India (GoI) has launched the Namami Gange Programme in 2014-15, to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga and its tributaries. GoI is supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in addressing the challenges of pollution of river Ganga and its tributaries by providing financial and technical assistance under Namami Gange Programme.

Government of India has taken the following punitive actions against polluters:

1. Stringent monitoring, regulation and enforcement towards compliance of Grossly Polluting Industries against regulatory framework mandated under consent mechanism issued in respect of provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is undertaken through CPCB, State Pollution Control Board (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCC). The units which are found non-complying with reference to discharge norms are issued closure directions and levied environmental compensation by concerned SPCBs.
2. Under the Namami Gange Programme (NGP), during October 2020 - March 2021, 1080 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) operating in river Ganga main stem States namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal were inspected by joint team of officials from technical institutes and concerned State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) for compliance verification. Experts from technical institutes namely IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, Aligarh Muslim University, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune, National Sugar Institute Kanpur, Central Pulp & Paper Research Institute, Saharanpur, Jamia Milia Islamia University, Delhi, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)- National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Pollution Control Research Institute (PCRI)- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Haridwar participated in the inspections. Based on the compliance status, actions were taken by concerned SPCBs.
3. Out of total 1080 GPIs inspected, 725 were found complying, 190 self-closed and 165 non-complying. Out of 165 non-complying, show-cause notices were issued to 156 GPIs and closure directions were issued to 09 GPIs. Based on subsequent compliance verification by SPCBs, show-cause notices issued to 126 units were revoked and closure directions were issued to 21 non-complying units and 167 self-closed units. Closure of industries is ensured by sealing and power disconnection through District Administration. Detailed compliance status is attached at Annexure-I.
4. Under the NGP, CPCB is carrying out quarterly monitoring of 08 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) and 133 sewage treatment plants (STPs) for compliance verification and actions are taken against non-complying STPs/CETPs.
5. Real time data transmission from GPIs through Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS) is also established for self-monitoring purposes.
6. Further, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is engaged in joint surveillance for the industries located on the bank of river Ganga and its tributaries and taking appropriate action against the polluting industries such as show cause notices, closure directions under Section 5 of Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.

This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written  reply in Lok Sabha today.

ANNEXURE-I

State wise compliance status is as follows:

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BY/AS