Lok Sabha Question No. 2902 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-04
Subject: Increase of Arsenic in Brahmaputra River Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RAM PRASAD SARMAH

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

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 2902

ANSWERED ON 04.01 .201 8

## INCREASE OF ARSENIC IN BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER WATER

## 2902. SHRI RAM PRASAD SARMAH

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware about increase of arsenic level in waters of Brahmap and its tributaries and if so, the details thereof;
- (b )  whether  the  reasons  for  the  said  increase  in  arsenic  level  have  been  ascertained  a details thereof;
- (c) whether it is a fact that the number of cancer and kidney patients has been rapidly in North Eastern Region as a result o f the same; and

(d) if so, the details of action taken by the Government to check the increasing arsenic l river?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL )

(a) to (d) Central Water Commission (CWC) is monitoring water quality of river at 429 key lo covering 11 major river basins in India. Out of 429 monitoring location, CWC is measuri Quality in Brahmaputra Basin at 55 key locations covering 26 rivers including Brahmaputra and tributaries.

According to the water quality analysis carried out by CWC during Dec - 2015 to Aug - 2017, Arsenic level in Brahmaputra and its tributaries have been observed to be within permissi it at all 55 locations as per Drinking water standards for Trace & Toxic metals (BIS: 10500 - 2012). The details are enclosed at Annexure . As such, the increase in number of Cancer and Kidney patients mentioned  in  the  question  may  not  be  attributable  to the  waters  of  Brahmaputra  river  and  its tributaries.

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## Arsenic Concentration in Brahmaputra & It's Tributaries obtained during Dec2015 to Aug-2017 of CWC

Annexure-I

|   S.N o | Water Quality Station       | River Name          |   Min (mg/L) |   Max (mg/L) |   Average (mg/L) |
|---------|-----------------------------|---------------------|--------------|--------------|------------------|
|       1 | Beki Road bridge            | Beki                |       0.0031 |       0.0031 |           0.0031 |
|       2 | Pancharatna                 | Brahmaputra         |       0.0001 |       0.0018 |           0.0008 |
|       3 | Pandu                       | Brahmaputra         |       0.0004 |       0.0021 |           0.0011 |
|       4 | Tezpur                      | Brahmaputra         |       0.0001 |       0.0036 |           0.002  |
|       5 | Bhomoraguri                 | Brahmaputra         |       0.0003 |       0.0044 |           0.0022 |
|       6 | Neamatighat                 | Brahmaputra         |       0.0006 |       0.0055 |           0.0027 |
|       7 | Dibrugarh                   | Brahmaputra         |       0.0004 |       0.0132 |           0.0044 |
|       8 | Chenimari                   | Buridehing          |       0.0004 |       0.0025 |           0.0012 |
|       9 | Margherita                  | Buridehing          |       0.0001 |       0.0036 |           0.0015 |
|      10 | Naharkatia                  | Buridehing          |       0.0011 |       0.0037 |           0.0019 |
|      11 | Udaipur                     | Burideing/Tirap     |       0.0001 |       0.0015 |           0.0008 |
|      12 | Dillighat                   | Desang              |       0.0004 |       0.0037 |           0.0018 |
|      13 | Nanglamoraghat              | Desang              |       0.0004 |       0.0131 |           0.0049 |
|      14 | Desangpani                  | Desang              |       0.0001 |       0.0133 |           0.0044 |
|      15 | Golaghat                    | Dhansari            |       0.0004 |       0.0039 |           0.002  |
|      16 | Numaligarh                  | Dhansari            |       0.0003 |       0.0184 |           0.0058 |
|      17 | Bokajan                     | Dhansari            |       0.0001 |       0.0209 |           0.0062 |
|      18 | Gelabil                     | Dhansari/Doyang     |       0.0003 |       0.0034 |           0.0018 |
|      19 | Sonapur                     | Digaru              |       0      |       0.0019 |           0.0011 |
|      20 | Sivasagar                   | Dikhow              |       0      |       0.0077 |           0.0029 |
|      21 | Bihubar                     | Dikhow              |       0      |       0.0145 |           0.0044 |
|      22 | Dudhnai                     | Dudhnai             |       0.0011 |       0.0075 |           0.003  |
|      23 | Kokrajhar                   | Gaurang             |       0.0025 |       0.0025 |           0.0025 |
|      24 | Mathabhanga                 | Jaldhaka            |       0.0024 |       0.0024 |           0.0024 |
|      25 | Bhalukpong                  | Jiabharali          |       0.0003 |       0.0119 |           0.0043 |
|      26 | Jiabharali NT-Road Crossing | Jiabharali          |       0.0001 |       0.0156 |           0.0052 |
|      27 | Seppa                       | Kameng              |       0      |       0.0101 |           0.0033 |
|      28 | Kheronighat                 | Kopili              |       0.0004 |       0.0026 |           0.0015 |
|      29 | Dharamtul                   | Kopili              |       0.0001 |       0.0038 |           0.0019 |
|      30 | Jagibhakatgaon              | Kopili              |       0.0003 |       0.0046 |           0.0019 |
|      31 | Kampur                      | Kopili              |       0.0005 |       0.0074 |           0.0029 |
|      32 | Kulsi                       | Kulsi               |       0.0001 |       0.0026 |           0.0011 |
|      33 | Tezu                        | Lohit               |       0.0002 |       0.0027 |           0.0016 |
|      34 | Dholabazar                  | Lohit               |       0.0004 |       0.0051 |           0.0022 |
|      35 | Manas N.H. Crossing         | Manas               |       0.003  |       0.003  |           0.003  |
|      36 | Namsai                      | Noa-dehing          |       0.0003 |       0.0033 |           0.0016 |
|      37 | Miao                        | Noa-dehing          |       0.0002 |       0.0115 |           0.004  |
|      38 | PagladiyaN.T.Road Crossing  | Pagladiya           |       0.0001 |       0.002  |           0.0011 |
|      39 | Matunga                     | Pagladiya/Kalanad i |       0.0004 |       0.0022 |           0.0013 |
|      40 | Puthimari D.R.F             | Puthimari           |       0.0001 |       0.0021 |           0.001  |
|      41 | Puthimari NH road crossing  | Puthimari           |       0.0001 |       0.0029 |           0.0012 |
|      42 | Suklai                      | Puthimari/Suklai    |       0.0001 |       0.0016 |           0.0008 |
|      43 | Ranganadi NT-Road Crossing  | Ranganadi           |       0.0003 |       0.0058 |           0.003  |
|      44 | Sankosh                     | Sankosh             |       0.003  |       0.003  |           0.003  |

|   45 | Barobisha      | Sankosh/Raidak-II   |   0.0020 |   0.0020 |   0.0020 |
|------|----------------|---------------------|----------|----------|----------|
|   46 | Passighat      | Siang               |   0.0007 |   0.003  |   0.0018 |
|   47 | Chouldhowaghat | Subansiri           |   0.0001 |   0.0082 |   0.003  |
|   48 | Badatighat     | Subansiri           |   0.0003 |   0.0086 |   0.0036 |
|   49 | Domohani       | Teesta              |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |
|   50 | TeestaBazar    | Teesta              |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |
|   51 | Mekhliganj     | Teesta              |   0.0031 |   0.0031 |   0.0031 |
|   52 | Hassimara      | Torsa               |   0.0019 |   0.0019 |   0.0019 |
|   53 | Ghugumari      | Torsa               |   0.0027 |   0.0027 |   0.0027 |
|   54 | Chepan         | Torsa/Raidak-I      |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |   0.0025 |
|   55 | Tufanganj      | Torsa/Raidak-I      |   0.0032 |   0.0032 |   0.0032 |

| As per Drinking Water BIS: 10500-2012 Standards for Arsenic   |   Arsenic (mg/L) |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
| Acceptable Limit                                              |             0.01 |
| Permissible limit in the absence of Alternative source        |             0.05 |