Lok Sabha Question No. 4788 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-30
Subject: Workshop on Ground Water Contamination
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, K. ASHOK KUMAR, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUDHEER GUPTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4788

ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017

## WORKSHOP ON GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION

| 4788.   | SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA   | KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has organized a workshop on Arsenic problem in ground water and its remediation in Ganga Basin recently;

(b) if so, the details and the objectives thereof along with the eminent persons who participated therein;

(c) the issues discussed in the workshop and the outcome as a result of the same;

(d) the present status of the National Aquifer Mapping Programme; and

(e) the funds allocated/spent/utilized thereunder during the last three years and the current year till date including  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  people  aware  about  the  negative impact of Arsenic in ground water and to make ground water pollution free?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a)  Yes,  Madam.  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  has  organized  a  workshop  on  'Arsenic problem in Groundwater and its Remediation in Ganga Basin' on 07 th March,2017 at New Delhi.

(b)  The  objective  of  the  Workshop  is  to  formulate  a  comprehensive  plan/  strategy  to  mitigate  the Arsenic problem through a wider consultation process.  Nearly 300 participants attended the workshop including eminent scientists from all over the Country, students from various departments of University of  New  Delhi,  faculties,  water  experts,  policy  makers  and  staff  members  from  various  Ministry including Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR.  Among others Prof. K.J. Nath, Chairman, Arsenic Task Force, Government of West Bengal from Kolkata, Prof. Kunal Kanti Majumdar, KPC Medical College and Hospital, Jadavpur, Kolkata, Dr.Shekhar Mallick, Scientist, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, Dr. D.N. Guha Mazumder, DNGM Research Foundation were present.  In the technical session of the workshop, 08 invited papers were presented apart from a panel discussion among the eminent subject experts. A workshop volume was released containing 23 selected papers.

(c)  The  issues  discussed  include  -  Gangetic  Plains-  Hydrostratigraphy  and  Arsenic  Contamination, Arsenic contamination in ground water and in food chain, human health and mitigation: Experience in West  Bengal,  Groundwater  Arsenic  Contamination  in  Gangetic  Basin:  An  Overview  and  A  Way Forward  Towards  Mitigation,  Groundwater  Arsenic  in  the  Bengal  Delta  Plain:  Geochemical  and Geomorphological  Perspectives  for  Sustainable  Water  Supply  to  Rural  Areas,  Low  cost  arsenic mitigation strategy in rural Bihar, Access to safe drinking water: Pathways to address the challenge of arsenic contamination, Arsenic monitoring and assessment in the rice paddy grown on Indo-gangetic plains and means for its mitigation, Arsenic problems in rural drinking water.

The  major  recommendations  of  the  Workshop  include  periodic  survey  of  the  Arsenic affected / vulnerable areas and sharing of data generated by multiple agencies on common platform. It is  suggested  that  water  quality  testing  laboratories  needs  to  be  upgraded  and  NABL  accredited. Infrastructure  for  alternate  source  of  water  supply  based  on  surface  water  sources  should  be contemplated  in  affected  areas  and  rainwater  harvesting  should  be  encouraged.    Appropriate  policy interventions  to  encourage  growing  Arsenic  resistant  crops  should  be  brought  in.  Identification  of Arsenic free aquifers in different areas to be explored under NAQUIM.  Arsenic tolerant crops should be  promoted  rather  than  the  normal  varieties  to  avoid/fight  Arsenic  contamination  problem.    Boro cultivation of rice needs to be stopped at the earliest, as this is the main problem through which Arsenic enters  the  Food  Chain.    Adequate  database  regarding  number  of  persons  affected  by  Arsenic contamination is non-existent, periodic survey of the Arsenic affected/vulnerable areas must be taken. R&D activities, capacity building and awareness campaign on Arsenic contamination in ground water should  be  steped  up.    Soil  path  (water  -  soil  -plant  -  human)  link  should  also  be  taken  into consideration while planning any Arsenic mitigation project/scheme.  All Arsenic mitigation measures to be amalgamated and implemented through community participation.

- (d)  During XII Plan, CGWB has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management programme under the scheme  of  Ground  Water  Management  and  Regulation.    Aquifer  maps  have  been  prepared  and management plans have been developed for an area of 5.20 lakh km 2 .
- (e)    The  status  of  the  funds  allocated/spent/utlilised  during  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year under the Ground Water management and Regulation scheme is as under:

| Year    |   Budgetary Estimate (Rs. in Crores) |   Revised Estimate (Rs. in Crores) | Actual Expenditure (Rs. in Crores)   |
|---------|--------------------------------------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 |                               220.5  |                             134    | 78.33                                |
| 2014-15 |                               325    |                             143    | 124.89                               |
| 2015-16 |                               163    |                             164.02 | 140.84                               |
| 2016-17 |                               303.38 |                             114.75 | 103.74 (upto February 2017)          |

CGWB through their training institute under Human Resources Development & Capacity Building scheme of Ministry of Water Resources R D & G R is organizing block level training courses (tier  -III)  in  entire  Country,  including  contaminated  groundwater  blocks.    These  trainings  are conducted at grass root level involving stakeholders to educate them on water conserve and pollution aspects CGWB, NGI has planned to continue block level training courses (Tier -III) in entire Country beyond XII plan for next three year.

Under NAQUIM Programme, CGWB is giving special attention to map arsenic affected areas in the States of Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  has  informed  that  the  States  are  assisted technically and financially in providing safe drinking water through the centrally sponsored National Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme  (NRDWP).    Upto  67%  of  funds  provided  to  the  States  under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems with priority to Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations.  In addition, the States also received certain funds under the 5% Water Quality earmarked funds.

The  State  Governments  have  been  directed  to  ensure  availability  of  safe  drinking  water through  Piped  Water  Supply  as  a  long  term  measures.    Since  tackling  this  problem  is  a  long  term measure, NITI Aayog, as a stop gap arrangement, is supporting the State Governments for installation of Community Water Purification Plants for providing safe drinking water in the rural habitations of the Country,  where  water  is  contaminated  with  Arsenic  and  Fluoride.    To  this  end,  over  and  above  the regular  allocation  of  funds  under  NRDWP,  on  the  recommendations  of  NITI  Aayog,  Ministry  of Finance has released Rs. 800.00 Crore during the financial year 2015-16 as a one-time 100% Central assistance  to  the  States  affected  with  water  quality  from  Arsenic  and  Fluoride  in  the  Country.    In addition,  based  on  the  recommendations  of  NITI  Aayog,  Ministry  of  Finance  has  also  released  Rs. 100.00 crore to each of the State of Rajasthan and West Bengal during the financial year 2015-16 to ensure  supply  of  safe  drinking  water  through  surface  water  based  piped  water  supply  schemes  in quality affected habitations as last mile connectivity.

Since the problem of contamination of water by Arsenic and Fluoride has been serious in the rural habitations, Central Government has taken cognizance of this serious problem and decided to take  short-term  and  long  term  measures  with  a  ring  fenced  funding  to  tackle  this  problem  in  the remaining habitations of the Country.  Over and above the normal release of funds to the States, during 2016-17, under NRDWP, the Centre share amounting to Rs. 746.23 crore has also been released to the States  affected  with  Arsenic  and  Fluoride  under  Water  Quality  Sub-Mission  in  the  ratio  of  90:10 (Centre:State)  for  Northern-Eastern  States  and  50:50  (Centre:State)  for  other  States  focusing  on mitigation of contamination of Fluoride and Arsenic in drinking water.

*****