Lok Sabha Question No. 2659 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-27
Subject: Pollution of Water Resources
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK   SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2659 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27/12/2018

## Pollution of Water Resources

## 2659. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that pollution of the water resources is one of the major reasons for scarcity of safe drinking water and if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to bring a legislation for the same and if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to initiate projects for conservation of drinking water sources and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the  Government has conducted any study regarding the hike in expenditure for the treatment of polluted water for supplying it for drinking water purpose and if so, the details of the study report; and
- (e) the  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  for  conservation  of  water  resources  for drinking water supply?

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

- (a) to  (c) : Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has informed this Ministry that, the water quality data generated by CGWB during various scientific studies and ground water quality monitoring indicates that in isolated pockets in parts of various states have  higher  concentration  of  salinity,  iron,  fluoride,  arsenic  and  heavy  metals beyond permissible limits.

As  reported  by  the  Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB),  Ministry  of  Water Resources,  River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation,  following  initiatives  have been  taken  for  ground  water  conservation  and  mitigation  of  ground  water contamination:-

- i. The  National  Water  Policy  (2012)  advocates  conservation,  promotion  and protection of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water  through  rain  water  harvesting,  direct  use  of  rainfall  and  other management measures.
- ii. A Model Bill has been circulated to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable  ground  water  legislation  for  regulation  of  its  development,  which includes provision of rain water harvesting.
- iii. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has prepared a conceptual document titled  'Master  Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Ground Water -  2013'  which provides  information  about  area-specific  artificial  recharge  techniques  to augment ground water resources based on the availability of source water and capability of subsurface formations to accommodate it. The Master Plan envisages  construction  of  about  1.11  Crore  artificial  recharge/Rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas. iv. Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has been constituted under Section 3  (3)  of  the  'Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986'  for  the  purpose  of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the Country. v. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) regularly undertakes training programs and IEC activities for capacity building and awareness creation of stakeholders on the importance of water conservation, rainwater harvesting in augmenting the ground water resources and ground water quality issues. vi. CGWB  has taken up Aquifer Mapping and Management (NAQUIM) programme  from the XII Plan, under the  scheme of Ground Water Management and Regulation. vii. ModelBuildingByeLaws,2016circulatedbyMinistryofUrbanDevelopment include provisionsfor Rainwater Harvesting. viii. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)  constructs wells for scientific exploration of ground water. Successful contamination free wells are handed over to the State Governments for utilization. Ground  water  Quality  data  generated  by  Central  Ground  Water  Board (CGWB) in various studies are shared with concerned State Governments for
- ix. awareness and necessary preventive action.

(d):  Rural  Drinking  Water  Supply  is  a  State  Subject.  State  Governments  are empowered to plan, design, approve, execute, operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe  drinking  water  to rural  population  including  water quality  affected areas.

- (e):  States  are  empowered to  take  necessary  steps  for  improving  sustainability  of drinking water sources through various measures including convergence of schemes like  MGNREGA, etc. and earmarking specific locations including water bodies as  a water resource under their State Acts.

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