Lok Sabha Question No. 298 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-03
Subject: Ground Water Resources Assessment
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 298 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2022

## GROUND WATER RESOURCES ASSESSMENT

## 298 SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that according to Ground Water Resources Assessment-2017, the ground water in eighty per cent of the blocks in Punjab are over-exploited, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; (b) whether it is a fact that arsenic is a toxic substance hazardous to human health and in atleast 13 blocks of  the  State  of  Punjab,  its  occurrence  is  more  than  the  safe  limit  of  0.01  mg/l  including  in  block  Ropar where it has been reported as high as 0.07 mg/l;

- (c) if so, the details and the reasons therefor; and

(d) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to prevent the contamination of ground water?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## (SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU)

(a) As per the 2017 ground water assessment, carried out jointly by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and State Government, out of 138 assessment units (Blocks) in Punjab, 109 units (78.9 %) have been categorized as 'overexploited'.  Further, as per the 2020 assessment, out of 150 assessment units in Punjab, 117 units (78 %) have been categorized  as  'over-exploited'.  Ground  water  levels  in  some  parts  of  the  Country  are  declining  because  of continuous  withdrawal  necessitated  by  increased  demand  of  fresh  water  for  various  uses,  vagaries  of  rainfall, increased population, industrialization & urbanization etc.

(b) & (c) Information as received from State Government of Punjab indicates that 790 habitations (from rural areas) spread across 17 districts are affected with arsenic out of which 29 habitations (with arsenic contamination ranging between 0.11 mg/litre to 0.46 mg/litre) are in Ropar district.  Arsenic contamination in ground water is generally due to geo-genic factors.

(d)  Water  being  a  State  subject,  initiatives  on  water  management,  including  preventing  the  contamination  of groundwater is primarily States' responsibility.  However, various steps have been taken by the Central Government in this regard in the country. Some of them are given as under:

To  address  the  contamination  problems  in  drinking  water,  Government  of  India  in  collaboration  with  States  is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) since August, 2019 to provide potable tap water supply of prescribed quality to every rural household in the country including Punjab by 2024. Under JJM priority is given to quality-affected habitations.

Similarly,  Ministry  of  Housing  &  Urban  Affairs  is  implementing  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban Transformation  (AMRUT)  in  selected 500  cities  and  towns  across  the  country  for  development  of  basic  urban infrastructure including safe water supply.

Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  in  association  with  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/Pollution  Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) is implementing the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in the country to prevent and control pollution in water.

Guidelines have been notified by the Department on 24 September 2020 for control and regulation of groundwater extraction  with  pan-India  applicability.   The  guidelines  include  suitable  provisions  on  measures  to  be  adopted  to control groundwater pollution.

In addition, the quality of groundwater can be improved to some extent if concerted efforts are made to improve the groundwater  resources  through  appropriate  groundwater  recharge/rainwater  harvesting.  Government  of  India  has taken a number of initiatives in this direction which can be seen at URL:http://jalshaktidowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/Steps\_to\_control\_water\_ depletion\_Feb2021.pdf.

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