BackCPCB directs municipal bodies not to discharge untreated sewage into rivers
Central pollution board asks municipal authorities to set up new sewage treatment plants to cover entire urban area they oversee
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New Delhi: In an attempt to stop pollution of rivers and prevent further deterioration of surface water, groundwater and coastal water, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed municipal bodies across India not to discharge any untreated sewage into rivers and other water bodies.
The CPCB, which is India’s apex anti-pollution watchdog, has also directed municipal authorities to set up new sewage treatment plants (STPs) to cover the entire urban area they oversee.
More than 60% of sewage generated by urban India is untreated and enters water bodies like rivers, polluting waters and making it unfit for human consumption.
“Untreated sewage shall not be disposed into the river or at any other recipient system. Local/urban body to set up STPs of adequate capacity and provide sewerage system to cover the entire local/urban areas and to ensure complete treatment of sewage generated," said the CPCB’s letter sent to municipalities and state governments across India.
In urban India, untreated sewage polluting water bodies has had adverse effect on human health and aquatic life. According to CPCB’s estimates, sewage generation in urban India is estimated to be around 62,000 million litres per day (MLD), but installed sewage treatment capacity of 816 STPs across the country is only 23,277 MLD (around 38%).
With urban population increasing, the sewage problem is only expected to worsen, resulting in pollution of groundwater, surface water and coastal water. As per Census 2011, over 370 million people are living in urban areas and the number is expected to touch the 900 million mark by 2050.
The CPCB letter said its performance studies showed that STPs are underutilised and not meeting prescribed standards. The pollution watchdog urged municipal authorities to ensure proper maintenance of STPs.
“The municipal authority shall properly manage the wastewater flowing in drains and take required actions to ensure that such wastewater is treated and disposed off," the said CPCB, calling for a time-bound action plan for proper collection, treatment and disposal of sewage.
According to water quality monitoring carried out by CPCB at 1,275 locations covering 445 rivers across India, 718 locations do not meet water quality criteria. The study also revealed 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers along 35 metropolitan cities and 615 urban centres.
The CPCB may have woken up too late, said one activist.
“Central and state pollution control boards were created under the Water Act 1974 to specifically implement the Water Act. But this has been brazenly violated by all municipalities and pollution control boards have done nothing beyond giving notices," said Manoj Misra, convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, a non-governmental organization working for rejuvenation of river Yamuna.
“But time for notices is long gone and now FIRs (first information reports) should be filed against erring municipalities and their officials. We don’t fine any seriousness in such letters..," Misra said.
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