New Delhi, April 9 The Ministry of Jal Shakti (Water Resources) reviewed the progress made by states on river rejuvenation and pollution abatement on Thursday, with a focus on the implementation of action plans for polluted river stretches and the functioning of sewage treatment infrastructure.
The review, conducted at the 21st meeting (Part-II) of the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC), was chaired by V L Kantha Rao, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
The committee reviewed the progress in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh, officials said.
The committee reviewed the implementation status of action plans for polluted river stretches, including the progress of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), the functioning and compliance status of existing sewage treatment infrastructure, and solid waste management interventions, the ministry said in a statement.
Issues related to environmental flows, floodplain regulation, submission of action plans for pollution management in coastal areas, and the functioning of River Rejuvenation Committees (RRCs) were also reviewed, it added.
Emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between sewage generation and treatment, Kantha Rao said optimal utilization and compliance of existing STPs, along with the expeditious completion of ongoing projects, remain critical for achieving sustained improvements in river water quality.
He advised states to enhance the reuse of treated wastewater, adopt a policy for the reuse of treated water where it has not been done so far, strengthen floodplain zoning, improve monitoring mechanisms, and ensure timely submission of monthly progress reports.
The meeting was attended by Zaigham Ali Khan, Joint Secretary, National River Conservation Directorate, Anup Kumar Srivastava, Executive Director (Technical), National Mission for Clean Ganga, senior officials from the ministry, the Central Pollution Control Board, and representatives of state governments and state pollution control boards.