Mokokchung, December 8 (MTNews): Bishweswar Tudu, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, informed the Lok Sabha today in a written reply that six polluted river stretches were identified in Nagaland in the last CPCB report published in September 2018, where 351 polluted stretches were identified on 323 rivers based on monitoring results in terms of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an indicator of organic pollution.
According to the report, two rivers were classified as Priority V, two as Priority IV, and one as Priority I and III. Dhansiri (Checkgate to Diphu BDG) had BOD 7.0-50.0 mg/l; Dzuna River along Kohima had BOD 6.0-13.0 mg/l; and Dzucha and Sano Rivers both had 4.0 mg/l. Chathe (from Medziphema to Dimapur) and Dzu (from Kohima to Dzukou valley) each had 7.0 mg/l
According to the CPCB, bathing water has a Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of less than 3 milligrammes per litre, a Dissolved Oxygen of more than 5.0 mg/l, and a Fecal Coliform of less than 500 MPN/100ml.
Tudu stated that River Rejuvenation Committees (RRCs) have been constituted by State/UT Governments to prepare and implement approved action plans for Polluted River Stretches (PRS) falling under priority V, and a Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) has been formed at the Central level to monitor implementation progress.
It should be noted that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in its 2018 orders directed all State and Union Territory (UT) Governments concerned to implement Action Plans approved by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) task team for rejuvenation/restoration of polluted river stretches (PRS) falling in priority I to priority IV.
He stated that, in accordance with the order, the CPCB, in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in various States/Union Territories (UTs), has been monitoring the water quality of rivers and other bodies of water across the country via a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Program.
