The river Musi Musi Musi Musi Musi in the background in Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: Hind
According to CPCB Central Council (CPCB), on Monday, it published the number of places in Indian rivers that were bathed, in 2023 in 2022 in 2023 in 2022.
The agency monitors and compile data in a two-year health segment-concretely measures a parameter called biological demand for oxygen (point) of Indian rivers. The point is proxy for organic matter dissolved in water with a low number indicating a healthy river. The point greater than 3 milligrams/liters indicates growing pollution and is considered inappropriate for bathing.
Two continuous places that exceed the criteria are calculated in one river as a “polluted section of the river” (breast). In 2023, 296 PR/location was found on 271 rivers. In 2022 there were 311 PR/locations in 279 rivers.
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Maharashtra (54) had the maximum number of PR or places followed by Kerala (31), Madhya Pradesh and Manipur with 18 and Karnataka (14). However, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand had a maximum number of – five – sections or locations in “priority 1”.
When evaluating 2022, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh had the maximum number of sections of the “priority 1” (6), Maharashtra had the maximum number of polluted rivers, ie 55, followed by Madhya Pradesh (19), Bihar (18), Kerala (18), Karnataka (17).
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PR with a point exceeding 30 mg/l is considered to be “priority 1”, which means that most polluted and therefore require the most urgent axle. There are five such categories with a “priority of 2” indicating the BSK 20-30 mg/la “priority 5” indicating 3-6 mg/l. The success of the river cleaning programs are measured by the number of sections moving from 1 to 2, 2 to 3 to 5 (requiring the smallest action).
At the last evaluation, the number of “priority 1” decomposes over 37 of 45 during 2022 assessments, from 72 to 45 in “priority 4” and 175 to 148 in “Priority 5”. According to CPCB, there was an increased number of “priority 2” and “priorities 3” – a sign that more sections of the river were corrected.
The CPCB network monitors the water quality in 4,736 locations across the country, including rivers, lakes, streams, drains and channels.
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In 2018, when the CPCB published its report (after analysis of sections in 2016 and 2017), priority was 2, 43 in priority 4 and 175 in Priority 5 in Priority 5.
After a report published in Hind in 2018, the Green Tribunal (NGT) issued an order that CPCB and JAL Shakti are monitoring the river pollution and ensuring that all actions of the river pollution are solved. Each state had to ensure that at least one section of the river was “restored” to the extent that it was at least suitable for bathing. States have also been ordered to implement “action plans” that describe in detail how they deal with different sections of their rivers.
Published – 22 September 2025 22:08
