Lok Sabha Question No. 829 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-17
Subject: Arsenic Contamination in Ground Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 829 ANSWERED ON 17.09.2020

## ARSENIC CONTAMINATIO N IN GROUND WATER

## 829. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the arsenic contamination of the ground water in the Gan Brahmaputra alluvial plains and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps being taken by the Governme nt to counter arsenic contamination hazard;
- (c) whether the treatment plants have been set up in these regions to purify ground water; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI & SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA )

(a) Yes Sir. The details in this regard are given at Annexure - I .

(b) to (d) Water being a State subject, initiatives on water management, including water qual States' responsibility; however, Government of India supplements the efforts of States by providing fina and technical assistance to States/UTs. It is the States that plan, design, approve, implem maintain water supply schemes.

To enable every rural household in the country to have pota ble water at service level of 55 li per capita per day (lpcd) through Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024, Govern India, in  collaboration  with  the  States,  has  launched  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM ) with an estimated cost of Rs. 3.60 lakh Crores. The funds provided to the States/ UTs under JJM can be utilized for taking in water quality - affected areas on priority. In Arsenic affected habitations where plan implementation of piped water supply schemes based on a safe wate r source will take time, as a inter measure, States are allowed to take up Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) schemes to p -10 lpcd potable water to meet drinking and cooking needs of every households residing in su habitation s.

In addition, in March 2017, National Water Quality Sub - Mission (NWQSM) was launched as a part of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), which has now been subsumed under JJM provide safe drinking water to Arsenic affected rural habitatio ns in the country.

In March 2016, with the recommendati on of NITI Aayog, an amount of Rs. 1,000 Crore was released to various Arsenic & Fluoride affected States for installation of CWPP and commission water supply schemes.

As reported by States to Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, the details installed  in  Assam,  Bihar,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  West  Bengal  of  the  of  Ganga  and  Brahmaputra plainsis given at Annexure I .

The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs was launched by the Central government on June 25, 2015, in selected and towns across the country with focus on development of basic urban infrastructure in the M ties, such as water supply, sewerage & septage management, storm water drainage, green spaces & pa -motorized urban transport etc.

One of the key objectives of the AMRUT is to ensure that every household has access connection with assured supply of water. Under AMRUT Mission, out of the total pla n size of Rs. 77,640 crore,  Rs. 39,010  crore  (50%)  has  been  allocated  to  water  supply  including  mitigation  of  wat problems.

Further, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has successfully co nstructed Arsenic -free wells in  the  Gangetic  flood  plains  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar  and  West  Bengal  and  shared  the  te knowledge with them.

Under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM), special attention is being g to the aspect of g round  water  quality  including  contamination  by  Arsenic.  Data  on  ground  water available with CGWB are being shared with concerned States for taking necessary remedial measur

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Annexu re referred to in reply to parts (a ) to (d) of Unstarred Question No. 829 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 17.09.2020 regarding ' ARSENIC CONTAMINATIO N IN GROUNDWATER'.

## Details of Arsenic - affected habitation and CWPP installed in State of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal o f the of Ganga and Brahmaputra alluvial plains

|   S.No | Name of the State   | Arsenic - affected habitations (as on 14.09.2020)   | Total Nos of CWPP installed   |
|--------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|      1 | Assam               | 1,853                                               | 12                            |
|      2 | Bihar               | 405                                                 | 290                           |
|      3 | Uttar Pradesh       | 164                                                 | 95                            |
|      4 | West Bengal         | 1,383                                               | 1,234                         |

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