territories. The monitoring network covers rivers, lakes, tanks, ponds, creeks/
marine/sea/coastal, canals, drains, groundwater, sewage treatment plants and water
treatment plant (raw water).
37
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs): The enforcement of the standards set
by CPCB is decentralized at the state level. SPCBs have sufficient powers to punish
the industries not complying with the standards for discharge of effluents. Fines of
up to Rs. 10,000 and imprisonment for up to 3 months can be imposed on the
polluting industrial units for not complying with the standards. SPCB also has the
power to cut water supply of these polluting units and to charge water cess from the
industries based on the volume of water consumed in the industries. However, the
PCBs suffer from lack of staff and finances which impact their work. The cess for
pollution which was meant to sustain the PCBs is abysmally low in the range of 30–
60 paisa per kilo litre for polluting industries and is inadequate to sustain the
Pollution Control Boards.
38
13.3 Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has been monitoring the chemical
quality of groundwater since 1974. Some 14,377 observation wells have been set up
by CGWB all over the country to monitor groundwater quality. While the monitoring is significant, it needs to be analyzed and made easily available to all. Also,
the data should be used for informing policy.
14 The Way Ahead
Reports indicate that almost 80% of surface water in India is contaminated and a
growing percentage of groundwater reserves are contaminated with biological,
toxic, organic and inorganic pollutants, due to deficiencies in wastewater treatment
and over-extraction. Studies indicate high levels of chromium and other industrial
pollutants in Ganga waters. Medical research informs that people living along the
Ganga River are more prone to cancer because of the pollutants in the water.
The main source of pollution in addition to domestic sewage—a mere 26% of
the 27,000 million liters of sewage generated per day is treated before being disposed in water bodies—is agricultural runoff and industrial production. Polluting
industries such as distilleries, dye manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, pesticides,
37
https://www.cpcbenvis.nic.in/water_pollution_main.html. Last accessed on April 01, 2020.
38
Maria (2003).
Tackling Water Quality Issues
93
marine/sea/coastal, canals, drains, groundwater, sewage treatment plants and water
treatment plant (raw water).
37
State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs): The enforcement of the standards set
by CPCB is decentralized at the state level. SPCBs have sufficient powers to punish
the industries not complying with the standards for discharge of effluents. Fines of
up to Rs. 10,000 and imprisonment for up to 3 months can be imposed on the
polluting industrial units for not complying with the standards. SPCB also has the
power to cut water supply of these polluting units and to charge water cess from the
industries based on the volume of water consumed in the industries. However, the
PCBs suffer from lack of staff and finances which impact their work. The cess for
pollution which was meant to sustain the PCBs is abysmally low in the range of 30–
60 paisa per kilo litre for polluting industries and is inadequate to sustain the
Pollution Control Boards.
38
13.3 Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has been monitoring the chemical
quality of groundwater since 1974. Some 14,377 observation wells have been set up
by CGWB all over the country to monitor groundwater quality. While the monitoring is significant, it needs to be analyzed and made easily available to all. Also,
the data should be used for informing policy.
14 The Way Ahead
Reports indicate that almost 80% of surface water in India is contaminated and a
growing percentage of groundwater reserves are contaminated with biological,
toxic, organic and inorganic pollutants, due to deficiencies in wastewater treatment
and over-extraction. Studies indicate high levels of chromium and other industrial
pollutants in Ganga waters. Medical research informs that people living along the
Ganga River are more prone to cancer because of the pollutants in the water.
The main source of pollution in addition to domestic sewage—a mere 26% of
the 27,000 million liters of sewage generated per day is treated before being disposed in water bodies—is agricultural runoff and industrial production. Polluting
industries such as distilleries, dye manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, pesticides,
37
https://www.cpcbenvis.nic.in/water_pollution_main.html. Last accessed on April 01, 2020.
38
Maria (2003).
Tackling Water Quality Issues
93