Lok Sabha Question No. 5255 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Contamination of Water in Bihar
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5255 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2019

## Contamination of Water in Bihar

## † 5255. SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether drinking water has been found contaminated with arsenic and fluoride in many areas of certain districts of Bihar;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of effects on health on drinking of such contaminated water; and

(d)  the  measures  being  taken  and  plans  being  contemplated  by  the  Government  to provide clean drinking water and to make people aware about prevention from these diseases?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a)  &  (b)  Yes  Sir,  as  reported  by  Government  of  Bihar  in  the  Integrated  Management Information  System  (IMIS)  of  this  Ministry,  the  district-wise  number  of  arsenic  and fluoride affected habitations isplaced at Annexure.

(c)Fluorosis,  a  public health  problem, is  caused  by  excess  intake  of  fluorides  through drinkingwater/food products/industrial pollutants, over a prolonged period. It causes severe  healthrelated  disorders  such  as  dental  fluorosis,  skeletal  fluorosis  and  nonskeletal  fluorosis.Arsenic  is  a  carcinogenic  element  and  is  associated  with  skin,  lung, bladder, kidney, and livercancer. Dermatological, developmental, neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular,immunological, and endocrine effects are also evident.

(d)Drinking  water  supply  is  a  State  subject.  For  improving  the  coverage  of  safe drinkingwater to rural population, this Ministry supplements the efforts of the States byproviding them  with  technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsoredscheme  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme  (NRDWP).  It  is  the StateGovernments who plan, design, approve, execute, operate & maintain the schemes forproviding safe drinking water to rural population.The funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for taking up schemes in water quality affected areas on priority including arsenic/fluoride affected areas.

During  March  2016,  with  the  recommendation  of  NITI  Aayog,  an  amount  of  Rs. 1000Crores  was  released  to  various  Arsenic  &  Fluoride  affected  States/UTs  for installation  ofCommunitywater  purification  plants.  An  amount  of  Rs.  22.83  Cr.was provided to Bihar. In  addition  to  this,  this  Ministry  had  launchedtheNational  Water  Quality  Sub-Mission (NWQSM) on 22 nd March 2017 under NRDWPtoprovide safe drinking water to 27,544 Arsenic / Fluoride affected rural habitationsinthecountry. An amount of Rs. 171.96 Cr. has been released to Bihar so far. Moreover,  States  can  utilize  upto  5%  of  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme funds  forSupport  Activities  which  inter  alia  includes  Information,  Education  and Communication(IEC) of Rural Drinking Water Supply as per NRDWP guidelines.

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Annexure Statement referred in the Reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5255 due for reply on 25.07.2019

The district wise number of Arsenic and Fluoride affected rural habitations in Bihar

| S.No.   | District          |   Fluoride Habitations |   Arsenic Habitations |
|---------|-------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|
| 1       | Araria            |                      3 |                     0 |
| 2       | Arwal             |                      0 |                     0 |
| 3       | Aurangabad        |                     29 |                     0 |
| 4       | Banka             |                    312 |                     0 |
| 5       | Begusarai         |                      0 |                   222 |
| 6       | Bhagalpur         |                      0 |                    96 |
| 7       | Bhojpur           |                      0 |                     0 |
| 8       | Buxar             |                      0 |                     9 |
| 9       | Darbhanga         |                      0 |                    11 |
| 10      | Gaya              |                      8 |                     0 |
| 11      | Gopalganj         |                      0 |                     0 |
| 12      | Jamui             |                     32 |                     0 |
| 13      | Jehanabad         |                      0 |                     0 |
| 14      | Kaimur (bhabua)   |                     12 |                     0 |
| 15      | Katihar           |                      0 |                     1 |
| 16      | Khagaria          |                      0 |                    40 |
| 17      | Kishanganj        |                      0 |                     0 |
| 18      | Lakhisarai        |                      0 |                    50 |
| 19      | Madhepura         |                      0 |                     0 |
| 20      | Madhubani         |                      0 |                     0 |
| 21      | Munger            |                     52 |                   147 |
| 22      | Muzaffarpur       |                      0 |                     0 |
| 23      | Nalanda           |                      5 |                     0 |
| 24      | Nawada            |                     16 |                     0 |
| 25      | PashchimChamparan |                      0 |                     0 |
| 26      | Patna             |                      0 |                     0 |
| 27      | PurbaChamparan    |                      0 |                     0 |
| 28      | Purnia            |                      0 |                     0 |
| 29      | Rohtas            |                    123 |                     0 |
| 30      | Saharsa           |                      0 |                     0 |
| 31      | Samastipur        |                      0 |                    35 |
| 32      | Saran             |                      0 |                     0 |
| 33      | Sheikhpura        |                    113 |                     0 |
| 34      | Sheohar           |                      0 |                     0 |
| 35      | Sitamarhi         |                      0 |                     0 |
| 36      | Siwan             |                      0 |                     0 |
| 37      | Supaul            |                      0 |                     0 |
| 38      | Vaishali          |                      0 |                   193 |
|         | Total             |                    705 |                   804 |

## Source: IMIS, DDWS