Lok Sabha Question No. 5292 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-06
Subject: Arsenic and Fluoride in Ground Water
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5292 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/04/2017

## Arsenic and Fluoride in Ground Water

5292 . SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware about large-scale arsenic and fluoride contamination in ground water in North East Region including Assam affecting lakhs of people; and
- (b) if so, the measures/steps taken to provide safe drinking water for already affected people and to protect future generations?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF DRINKING   WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

- (a) Number of habitations and population affected by fluoride and arsenic contamination in ground drinking water sources in North East Region including Assam as reported by the States into Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 31 th March, 2017 is at Annexure .
- (b) Rural drinking water supply is a state subject.  This Ministry supplements the efforts of the States  by  providing  them  with  technical  and  financial  assistance  through  the  centrally sponsored  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme  (NRDWP)  for  improving  the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population. It is the State Governments who plan, design, execute and operate schemes for providing safe drinking water.

Under NRDWP, States can utilize upto 67% of funds released to them for provision of safe  drinking  water  in  water  quality  affected  habitations  with  priority  to  arsenic  and fluoride  affected  habitations.  States  may  like  to  set  up  community  water  purification systems as a short/medium term measure for immediate provision of safe drinking water as powers to plan, design, implement and monitor water supply projects including water treatment  plants  has  been  delegated  to  them.  Further,  5%  of  the  NRDWP  funds  are earmarked  for  Water  Quality  and  allocated  to  those  States  with  habitations  affected  by excess  chemical  contamination  and  with  high  priority  districts  affected  by  Japanese Encephalitis/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.

During  2016-17  Government  of  Assam  has  been  provided  an  amount  of  Rs.  32.50 Crore  under  the  World  Bank  assisted  Rural  Water  Supply  &  Sanitation  projects  -Low Income States (RWSSP-LIS).

States have been asked to focus on providing piped water supply schemes from safe and perennial surface  water source in water  quality affected habitations.  As  immediate measures, Assam State has been provided an amount of Rs. 11.57 Crores in Mar 2016 as 100% grant by Government of India on the recommendation of  NITI Aayog to provide 810  litres  per  capita  per  day  of  safe  drinking  water  in  arsenic  and  fluoride  affected habitations for drinking and cooking purposes, as short term measures through Community Water Purification Plants.

The  Ministry  has  formulated  a  National  Water  Quality  Sub-Mission  for  focussed funding  ring  fenced  only  to  arsenic  and  fluoride  rural  population  on  90:10  for  NorthEastern & Himalayan States preferably through surface water based piped water supply schemes.  Under  this  program,  Rs.  45.17  Crore  have  been  released  to  Assam  State  to complete 117 ongoing schemes.

Annexure :  referred to in the reply to Lok  Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5292 due for reply on 06/04/2017

Number of habitations and population affected by fluoride and arsenic contamination in ground drinking water sources in North East Region including Assam as reported by the States into IMIS of the Ministry as on 31 th  March, 2017

| S.    | Nameofthe State /   | Fluoride   | Fluoride   | Arsenic    | Arsenic    |
|-------|---------------------|------------|------------|------------|------------|
| No.   | UT                  | Habitation | Population | Habitation | Population |
| 1     | ARUNACHAL PRADESH   | 0          | 0          | 341        | 23278      |
| 2     | ASSAM               | 154        | 69044      | 3705       | 1448303    |
| 3     | MANIPUR             | 0          | 0          | 0          | 0          |
| 4     | MEGHALAYA           | 0          | 0          | 1          | 169        |
| 5     | MIZORAM             | 0          | 0          | 0          | 0          |
| 6     | NAGALAND            | 0          | 0          | 0          | 0          |
| 7     | SIKKIM              | 0          | 0          | 0          | 0          |
| 8     | TRIPURA             | 0          | 0          | 0          | 0          |
| Total | Total               | 154        | 69044      | 4047       | 1471750    |