The information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania and Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi in Rajya Sabha today.

As per the designated-best-use criteria of Central Pollution Control Board for bathing quality, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) values should be 3 mg/litre or less. Based on the independent monitoring undertaken by reputed institutions, the BOD values of river water quality at Allahabad (Prayag) & Varanasi has shown discernible improvement during the year 2008 (summer average) over the pre-GAP period (1986).

BOD (mg/litre) in 1986 at Allahabad Downstream was 15.5 which came down to 3.2 in 2008, while Varanasi Downstream witnessed an improvement from 10.6 to 3.0 during the same period.

It was all achieved through Ganga Action Plan, Phase I of which was launched as a centrally funded scheme in 1985 with the objective of improving the water quality of the Ganga to acceptable standards. Various pollution abatement works like Interception & Diversion of sewage, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation works, crematoria works, etc. were taken up. GAP Phase - II which covered the tributaries of Ganga namely, Yamuna, Gomti, Damodar and Mahananda, besides Ganga, was approved in stages from 1993-1996. GAP Phase II was merged with the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in December, 1996. An expenditure of Rs.837.40 crore has been incurred for river Ganga, and a sewage treatment capacity of 1025 million liters per day (mld) has been created so far under both the phases of the Plan.

It may be mentioned here that conservation of rivers in India is an ongoing and collective effort of the Central and State Governments. River conservation activities such as creation of civic infrastructure for sewage management and disposal are also being implemented under other central schemes, such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns, as well as under state schemes.

The Central Government has constituted the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on 20th February, 2009 as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for conservation of the Ganga River. The Authority has both regulatory and developmental functions. Action has been initiated for preparation of a comprehensive Ganga river basin management plan which will form the basis for formulation of projects. The Central Government has allocated Rs.250 crore in the budget of the year 2009-10 for NGRBA. States have been requested to prepare priority projects for critical pollution hotspots and major towns on Ganga and fast track the implementation of ongoing projects. #