Lok Sabha Question No. 800 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-21
Subject: Quality of Ground Water Resources in Bihar
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 800 ANSWERED ON 21/07/2022

## QUALITY OF GROUND WATER RESOURCES IN BIHAR

## 800. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  aims  to  rectify  the  current  decrease  in  quality  of  ground  water sources in rural Bihar due to massive levels of chemical contamination as evidenced by the 16th Bihar Economic Survey Report 2021-22 which states that the water is a health hazard in 31 of the 38 districts and contains varying levels of arsenic, fluoride and iron;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Ministry aims to introduce relief programs to provide safe drinking water to the people in the aforementioned districts and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) to (c) As reported by State, district-wise details of habitations affected with contamination in drinking water sources in Bihar is annexed .

To make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to every rural household in the country by 2024, since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) -Har Ghar Jal. As reported by State, out of 1.72 crore rural households in Bihar,  1.60  crore  (92.78%)  households  have  tap  water  supply  in  their  homes.  The State/UT,  district  &  village-wise  status  of  tap  water  connection  in  rural  households,  as reported by States/ UTs is in public domain and available on JJM dashboard at:

## https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx

Under  JJM,  while  allocating  the  funds  to  States/  UTs,  10%  weightage  is  given  to  the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants and while planning for potable  water  supply  to  household  through  tap  water  connection,  priority  is  to  be  given  to quality-affected  habitations.  Since,  planning,  implementation  and  commissioning  of  piped water  supply  scheme  based  on  a  safe  water  source  may  take  time,  purely  as  an  interim measure,  States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  install  community  water  purification  plants (CWPPs) especially in Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations to provide potable water to every household at the rate of 8-10 litre per capita per day (lpcd) to meet their drinking and cooking requirements.

Central  Ground  Water  Board  generates  ground  water  quality  data  on  regional  scale  during various  scientific  studies  and  ground  water  monitoring  programme  throughout  the  country. Data on ground water quality has been shared with concerned State Governments for taking remedial measures, awareness and monitoring of drinking water use.

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District-wise  number  of  habitations  affected  with  contamination  in  drinking  water sources  in  Bihar  and  detail  of  CWPPs  installed  in  Arsenic  and  Fluoride  affected habitations

| S. No.   | District   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   |
|----------|------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|          |            | Fluoride                                 | CWPP Installed                           | Arsenic                                  | CWPP Installed                           | Iron                                     | Total                                    |
| 1.       | Araria     | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 77                                       | 77                                       |
| 2.       | Aurangabad | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        |
| 3.       | Banka      | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        | 1                                        |
| 4.       | Begusarai  | -                                        | -                                        | 9                                        | 2                                        | 27                                       | 36                                       |
| 5.       | Bhagalpur  | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        |
| 6.       | Bhojpur    | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        | 1                                        |
| 7.       | Katihar    | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 12                                       | 12                                       |
| 8.       | Khagaria   | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 19                                       | 19                                       |
| 9.       | Kishanganj | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 46                                       | 46                                       |
| 10.      | Patna      | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1                                        |
| 11.      | Purnia     | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 43                                       | 43                                       |
| 12.      | Saharsa    | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 223                                      | 223                                      |
| Total    | Total      | 1                                        | -                                        | 11                                       | 2                                        | 449                                      | 461                                      |

Source: JJM-IMIS