Most polluted rivers in Gujarat drop from 20 to 13, says govt

Gandhinagar: In 2018, there were 20 rivers in the state that were classified as the "most polluted rivers" in the country by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This number dropped to 13, claims a recent presentation made before the state govt by the state forest and environment department.
The report revealed that in 2018, 20 river stretches in Gujarat were categorized under various levels of pollution, based on their biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels.By 2022, the number of most polluted river stretches reduced to 13, claiming that there has been a "marked improvement".
"One of the primary reasons for river pollution has been the lack of sewage treatment within municipalities," acknowledges the report. It further adds, "Gujarat's existing operational sewage treatment plants (STPs) can handle 5,692 million litres per day (MLD), while STPs with a capacity of 1,567 MLD are under construction. Another 1,425 MLD worth of capacity is in the planning stages."
Among the measures that are being taken for the prevention of river pollution, the report states, is installing sewage sumps to divert untreated sewage to STPs, conducting drone surveys of polluted river stretches to figure out illegal discharge. Among other measures are monitoring STPs through third-party inspections. "The Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM) is planning to implement compliance monitoring through the Common Control Room (CCR)," states the report.
Despite the improvements stated in the report, concerns remain, particularly regarding environmental violations in the Sabarmati in Ahmedabad where untreated effluents were allegedly being discharged into the river. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also taken cognisance of the issue, forming a joint committee consisting of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and the Ministry of environment, forests, and climate change (MoEFCC). The committee has already submitted its report to the NGT.