Directions issued under Section 5 of EPA Act, 1986 regarding Treatment and Utilization of Sewage for Restoration of Water Quality of River to Metropolitan Cities and States/UT Capitals
Directions issued under Section 5 of EPA Act, 1986 regarding Treatment and Utilization of Sewage for Restoration of Water Quality of River to Metropolitan Cities and States/UT Capitals by Central Pollution Control Board. Sewage is a mojor cause for poor water quality and adversely impacts human health and aquatic life. The discharge of untreated, partially treated and treated sewage not meeting standards is further additing to the problem of water pollution and very sizeable gap exist in generation and treatment of sewage. Central Pollution Control Board assessed sewage generation and treatment capacity for urban population of India for the year 2015. The sewage generation is estimated to be 62000 MLD approximately and installed sewage treatment capacity of 816 STPs developed so far is only 23277 MLD. The water quality monitoring carried out by CPCB at 1275 locations covering 445 rivers for assessing suitability of water quality for various purposes revealed that 718 locations are not meeting the water quality criteria with respect to BOD and Fecal Coliform bacteria. The water quality assessment has further indicated that there are 302 polluted river stretches on 275 rivers which are along the 35 metropolitan cities and 615 other urban centres. The exceedance of criteria pollutants has been observed in the downstream stretches of rivers passing through the urban centres.