River Pollution in India

• 14 Jul 2025

For Prelims: Namami Gange Programme, Ganga, Yamuna, Algal Blooms, Sutlej River, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Gangetic River Dolphin, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.                     

For Mains: Causes of river pollution, the role of the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in its mitigation, and additional measures required for effective river pollution abatement.  

Source: IE   

Why in News? 

The Delhi government has prioritized Yamuna river pollution clean-up, aligning with the Namami Gange Programme (NGP). Its role as a Ganga tributary facilitates the alignment of local efforts with national goals for the cleaning of the Ganga River and its tributaries. 

What are the Causes of River Pollution in India? 

• Industrial Pollution: Industries like textiles, tanneries, and chemicals discharge toxic effluents (e.g., lead, mercury, arsenic) into rivers such as the Ganga (Kanpur), Yamuna (Delhi), and Damodar (Jharkhand). 
  • Many factories bypass or misuse effluent treatment plants (ETPs), often diluting waste to falsely meet regulatory norms. 
• Agricultural Runoff: Runoff from fertilizers and pesticides leads to nitrate and phosphate pollution, causing algal blooms and harming aquatic life, as seen in Punjab’s Sutlej River. 
  • Stubble burning in Punjab-Haryana releases ash that enters rivers through rainwater runoff, further degrading water quality. 
• Religious & Cultural Practices: Idol immersion and cremation rituals pollute rivers with Plaster-of-Paris, toxic paints, plastic, polythene, and floral waste, especially at ghats like Varanasi’s Ganga. 
• Solid Waste & Plastic Dumping: India ranks as the world’s largest plastic emitter, with significant amounts clogging rivers like Mumbai’s Mithi River. 
  • Toxic runoff from landfills like Delhi’s Ghazipur pollutes both groundwater and nearby rivers. 
• Thermal & Radioactive Pollution: Thermal plant discharges (e.g., Farakka, NTPC) and uranium mining in Jaduguda (Jharkhand) pollute rivers, harming aquatic life with heat and radioactive waste. 
• Climate‑Related Stress: Erratic rainfall and prolonged low‑flow periods concentrate pollutants, while extreme storms flush large contaminant loads into rivers. 

What is the Namami Gange Programme? 

• About: It is a flagship programme by the Ministry of Jal Shakti aimed at rejuvenating the Ganga River and its tributaries by reducing pollution, improving water quality, and restoring the river’s ecosystem. 
• Implementation: It provides for a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to ensure the effective management and rejuvenation of the Ganga River. 
  • National Ganga Council: Headed by the Prime Minister, this is the apex body overseeing the overall efforts for Ganga rejuvenation. 
  • Empowered Task Force (ETF): Chaired by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, it focuses on coordinated action for cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga. 
  • National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): Functions as the implementing agency for various Ganga-related projects. 
  • State Ganga Committees: Responsible for state-level implementation of river conservation measures within their respective jurisdictions. 
  • District Ganga Committees: Set up in each district along the Ganga and its tributaries, these committees work at the grassroots level to execute local interventions. 
• Main Pillars of NGP: 
  • Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure: Aimed at effectively managing wastewater to reduce river pollution. 
  • River-Surface Cleaning: Focused on removing solid waste and pollutants from the river’s surface. 
  • Afforestation: Involves planting trees and restoring green cover along the riverbanks. 
  • Industrial Effluent Monitoring: Ensures protection of the river from harmful industrial discharges. 
  • River-Front Development: Promotes community engagement and tourism through the creation of public spaces along the river. 
  • Biodiversity: Aims to enhance ecological health and support diverse biological communities in and around the river. 
  • Public Awareness: Focuses on educating citizens about the importance of river conservation. 
  • Ganga Gram: Targets the development of villages along the main stem of the Ganga as model villages with improved sanitation and sustainability. 
• Key Interventions:  
  • Pollution Abatement (Nirmal Ganga): Involves setting up sewage treatment plants (STPs) and minimizing industrial and domestic waste discharge to ensure cleaner waters. 
  • Improving Ecology and Flow (Aviral Ganga): Focuses on restoring natural river flow, enhancing biodiversity, and promoting water conservation practices. 
  • Strengthening People-River Connect (Jan Ganga): Aims to promote community participation, raise public awareness, and involve local stakeholders in conservation efforts. 
  • Facilitating Research and Policy (Gyan Ganga): Supports scientific research, encourages academic studies, and aids in crafting evidence-based policies for river management. 
• Key Achievements:  
  • Pollution Abatement: Sewage treatment capacity surpassed the pre-2014 capacity by over 30 times. 
  • Improvement in Water Quality: Water quality improved in Uttar Pradesh from BOD 10-20 mg/l (2015) to 3-6 mg/l (2022), in Bihar from 20-30 mg/l (2015) to 6-10 mg/l (2022). 
    • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) indicates the amount of oxygen required by microorganisms to decompose organic matter in water. A higher BOD signifies greater pollution, while a lower BOD reflects cleaner water. 
  • Impact on Biodiversity: The Gangetic river dolphin population has grown, with new sightings reported in stretches like Bithura to Rasula Ghat (Prayagraj), and in the Babai and Bagmati Rivers. 
• Global Recognition: In 2022, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) recognized the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) as one of the Top 10 World Restoration Flagship Initiatives. 

What Steps can be Taken to Mitigate River Pollution? 

• Enforce Strict Industrial Regulations: Enforce Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) for polluting industries, mandate Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) with real-time monitoring, and impose strict penalties for illegal dumping and non-compliance. 
• Manage Agricultural Runoff: Promote organic farming and sustainable practices, establish vegetative buffer zones near rivers, and regulate chemical use through awareness and eco-friendly subsidies. 
• Improve Solid Waste Management: Strengthen waste collection, segregation, and scientific disposal, prevent riverbank dumping with fencing and patrolling, and ban single-use plastics with strict enforcement. 
• Restore River Ecosystems: Restore riverine ecology through desilting, reforestation, and wetland revival; protect floodplains from encroachment, and promote riparian buffers with native vegetation. 
• Use Technology and Innovation: Adopt AI and IoT sensors for pollution monitoring, use GIS mapping and drones to detect illegal dumping, and promote water-tech startups for innovative treatment solutions. 

Conclusion 

The Yamuna clean-up aligns with India’s broader river rejuvenation mission under the Namami Gange Programme. India’s river pollution crisis demands urgent action—stricter industrial regulations, sustainable agriculture, better waste management, and ecosystem restoration. While initiatives like Namami Gange show progress, success depends on enforcement, technology, and public participation. A collaborative, multi-pronged approach can revive our rivers, ensuring clean water for future generations. 

Drishti Mains Question:

What are the major causes of river pollution in India? Suggest policy measures to address them.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)  

Prelims

Q. Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’? (2016)

1. River basin is the unit of planning and management. 
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level. 
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of  NGRBA on rotation basis. 

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) 1 and 2 only  

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (a) 

Q. Consider the following statements: (2014)  

1. Animal Welfare Board of India was established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. 
2. The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body. 
3. The National Ganga River Basin Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  

(a) 1 only   

(b) 2 and 3 only  

(c) 2 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3  

Ans: (b) 

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Mains 

Q. Discuss the Namami Gange and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) programmes and causes of mixed results from the previous schemes. What quantum leaps can help preserve the river Ganga better than incremental inputs? (2015)