1,395 industries polluting rivers: Jairam Ramesh

Around 1,395 grossly polluting industries, mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, are discharging effluents in various rivers, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

"The central pollution control board (CPCB) has evolved criteria for identification of grossly polluted industries," environment minister Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply.

He said around 432 such industries have been identified in Uttar Pradesh and 366 in Tamil Nadu.

Ramesh also said the CPCB has recently carried out survey of industries located between Kannauj and Varanasi and identified 26 units discharging effluents in the Ganga river.