Ludhiana, March 17 -- Punjab has two polluted river stretches among the hundreds identified across the country, the Union government informed Parliament, highlighting the continuing challenge of river pollution caused mainly by untreated sewage and industrial discharge. The issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, who sought details from the Union ministry of jal shakti regarding the number of rivers in the country, their pollution status and the steps being taken for cleaning and rejuvenation. Responding to the query in a written reply on Monday, minister of state for jal shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said that two polluted river stretches have been identified in Punjab - on the Sutlej river and the Ghaggar river. According to the ministry, the National Water Informatics Centre has identified a network of around 30,395 rivers across India using satellite imagery and Survey of India toposheets. However, officials noted that the number may vary depending on the resolution of satellite data and the methodology used for mapping river networks. Data shared by the government cited the 2025 report of the Central Pollution Control Board, which identified 296 polluted river stretches on 271 rivers across the country. These include both main rivers and their tributaries. The government said river pollution is largely caused by the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage from cities and towns, as well as industrial effluents....