Overview

• The assessment draws on 2022–23 water-quality data from 2,116 river monitoring locations under the national network.
• The count has declined about 15.7% from 351 in 2018, with Priority I stretches dropping to 37 from 46 across 14 states.
• Maharashtra reports the highest number of polluted stretches at 54, the most of any state.
• CPCB notes 149 stretches identified in 2018 now meet BOD compliance, with many others shifting to lower priority classes.
• A polluted stretch is two or more contiguous sites with BOD above 3 mg/L, Priority I exceeds 30 mg/L, and 62% of monitored locations met the bathing standard.