Lok Sabha Question No. 177 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-02
Subject: Drinking Water Contamination
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI, LALLU SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.177 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2017

## DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION

## †177.    SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI SHRI LALLU SINGH

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

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any long term strategy to provide arsenic free water to the people across the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether any task force has been constituted in this regard and if so, the details thereof and the recommendations made by the Task Force;
- (c) whether it has been established in a research that high level of boron and arsenic were present in ground water in several parts of western UP and including Delhi and their levels are increasing constantly and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether experts are blaming industrial waste and filth flowing into the drinking water sources as a reason for increasing level of boron and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken for purification of potable water being supplied to western UP and Delhi in order to contain the level of said elements in potable water?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION (SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

- (a) Rural  drinking  Water  supply  is  a  State  subject.  The  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and Sanitation assists the States technically and financially in providing safe drinking water through the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme. 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. 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.

The  Ministry  has  informed  all  the  States  to  commission  surface  water  based  piped water  supply  schemes  in  all  water  quality  affected  habitations  as  a  long  term sustainable  solution.  However,  since  commissioning  of  Piped  Water  Supply  projects may  take  3-5  years  and  the  rural  people  cannot  be  put  to  risk  of  consuming contaminated  water  during  this  period,  all States have  been  advised  to  install community  water  purification  plants.  This  is  being  done  as  a  short  term  immediate measure for providing 8-10 lpcd (litre per capita per day) of safe water for drinking and cooking purpose only. On recommendation of NITI Aayog, the Government of India had released Rs 800 crore in March' 2016 to provide community water purification plants in all remaining arsenic and fluoride affected habitations. In addition, funds to the tune of  Rs.100  Crore  each  are  also  provided  for  tackling  arsenic  and  fluoride  problems  in West Bengal and Rajasthan respectively for the last mile connectivity in commissioning surface water based piped water supply schemes.

(b) No Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.

(c)  UP Jal Nigam has reported that no such study has been carried out in the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh and  Delhi Jal Board has not reported any such studies. (d) & (e)  No such report has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation by experts. As stated in para (a) above, treatment units are being installed wherever  required.  Piped  water  supply  schemes  are  being  implemented  to  ensure contamination free water. Delhi Jal board has full -fledged drinking piped water system based on surface sources and the same is maintained by them.

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