Lok Sabha Question No. 221 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Health Hazards caused by Contaminated Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel, Shardaben Anilbhai Patel

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *221 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2023.

## HEALTH HAZARDS CAUSED BY CONTAMINATED WATER

## *221. SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI):

SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of persons falling victim to health hazards caused by drinking water contaminated with higher levels of arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity and nitrates in the State of Gujarat, districtwise;
- (b) whether any steps have been taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to improve the water harvesting infrastructure in order to raise the water table in Gujarat; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d) A Statement of reply is laid on the Table of the House.

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## Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *221 answered on 16.03.2023.

Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal, since August, 2019,  in  partnership  with  States,  to  make  provision  of  potable  tap  water  supply  in  adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to every rural household. 'Water' being a state subject planning, approval and implementation of drinking water supply schemes, lies with State/UT governments.

Since the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019, as reported by the State, about 26.24 lakh rural households in Gujarat have been provided tap water connections. Thus, provision of tap water supply has been made to 100% rural households in Gujarat.

Under JJM, while allocating the funds to States/ UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants. States/ UTs have been advised to plan and implement piped water supply schemes based on alternative safe water sources for the villages with water quality issues. 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.

Under  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  as  per  existing  guidelines,  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards'  IS:10500 standard is to be adopted for ensuring safe drinking water supply. States/UTs have been advised to carry out testing of water quality on a periodic basis, i.e. once in a year for chemical and physical parameters, and twice in a year for bacteriological parameters and take remedial action wherever necessary, to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.

To enable States/ UTs to test water samples for water quality, and for sample collection, reporting, monitoring  and  surveillance  of  drinking  water  sources,  an  online  JJM  -  Water  Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has been developed. As reported by States/UTs on WQMIS, as on 13/03/2023, more than 53.10 lakh water samples have been tested in the water testing laboratories and 87.09 lakh water samples using Field Testing Kits, during 2022-23. The State-wise details of water quality test reported through WQMIS are available in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at:

## https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/Main/report

As reported by States/UTs, as on date, there are 2,078 drinking water quality testing laboratories at different levels viz. State, District, sub-division and/ or block level in the country. To encourage water  quality  testing  to  ensure  potable  drinking  water  supply,  States/  UTs  have  opened  water quality testing laboratories to general public for testing of their water samples at a nominal rate.

States/ UTs have been advised to identify and train 5 persons, preferably women, in every village to conduct water quality testing using Field Testing Kits (FTKs)/ bacteriological vials at village level and report the same on the WQMIS portal. So far, as reported by states/UTs, about 19.31 lakh women have been trained for testing water using FTKs.

As reported by the state government of Gujarat, no rural habitation has drinking water sources with water quality issue of chemical contamination. The details regarding persons having health hazard due to contaminated drinking water is not maintained centrally.

Regarding improvement in Rain Water Harvesting infrastructure, CGWB has prepared a Master Plan  for  Artificial  Recharge  to  Groundwater-  2020  in  consultation  with  States/UTs  which, envisages construction of about 13,36,312 Rain water harvesting and artificial recharge structures in Gujarat to harness 4459.26 Million Cubic Metre (MCM) of monsoon rainfall.

Also, in 2019, Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) was conducted to bring awareness on various aspects of water conservation and promote rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge in 256 water stressed districts in the country. The JSA was expanded to the whole country in 2021. 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' (JSA: CTR) - 2022 campaign, the third in the series of JSAs, was launched on 29.3.2022 to cover all the blocks of all districts across the country including all districts of Gujarat. As  per  the  information  available  on  the  JSA:  CTR  portal,  during  the  period  29.03.2022  to 03.03.2023, total number of water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures completed/ ongoing in the State in Gujarat under JSA:CTR 2022 is 0.22 lakh.

Now,  JSA:  CTR  2023  has  been  launched  on  04.03.2023  across  the  country  and  will  be implemented during 04.03.2023 to 30.11.2023.

Gujarat  Water  Resources  Development  Corporation  Ltd.,  an  undertaking  of  Government  of Gujarat, has informed that to improve the water harvesting infrastructure in order to raise the water table in Gujarat, construction of 258 recharge Tube wells is being taken up under Atal Bhujal Yojna in parts of 6 Districts namely Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Patan, Kachchh, Mehsana and Gandhinagar.

Gujarat  Water  Supply  and  Sewerage  Board,  an  undertaking  of  Government  of  Gujarat,  has informed  that  in  order  to  strengthen  the  groundwater  based  sources,  46,373  roof  rainwater harvesting structure have been completed.

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