Lok Sabha Question No. 2685 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Chemical Contamination of Water in Odisha
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Aparajita Sarangi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2685

## TO BE ANSWERED ON.22.12.2022

## CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION OF WATER IN ODISHA

## 2685.  SHRIMATI APARAJITA SARANGI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the villages in the State of Odisha which are affected by chemical contamination of water;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any survey to mitigate the problem of water contamination in Odisha and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of funds allocated by the Government to curb water contamination and setup of water treatment plants in Odisha; and
- (d) the  details  of  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  reduce  chemical  contamination  of  water  in Odisha?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d)  Under  JJM,  contamination  in  drinking  water  sources  in  rural  areas  is  monitored  on habitation wise. As reported by Odisha State, as on 20.12.2022, district-wise details of habitations having contamination in drinking water sources are annexed.

Government of India  is  implementing  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  -  Har  Ghar  Jal,  since  August, 2019, in partnership with States, to make provision of tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to every rural household by 2024.

'Water'  being  a  state  subject  planning,  approval  and  implementation  of  drinking  water  supply schemes,  lies  with  state/UT  governments.  The  States  may  take  up  appropriate  water  treatment systems depending upon techno-economic feasibility.

Under the JJM, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards have been adopted as prescribed norms for quality of tap water service delivery. Water  safety has been one of the key priorities under  the  JJM  since  its  inception.  States  are  advised  to  strictly  ensure  supply  of  safe  drinking water as per these norms. Following measures have been taken under JJM to facilitate action on water quality aspects at state level -

- While  allocating  the  funds  to  States/  UTs,  10%  weightage  is  given  to  the  population

residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants.

- The  'Drinking  Water  Quality  Monitoring  &  Surveillance  Framework'  was  devised  and disseminated to states in October 2021.
- To facilitate implementation of the above said Framework, more than 2000 water quality testing laboratories have been set up in the country. Besides this, States/ UTs to identify and train five persons, preferably women from every village for testing the water samples through Field Test Kits (FTKs) and so far, 16.13 lakh women have been trained.
- 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.
- Under  JJM,  while  planning  for  potable  water  supply  to  household  through  tap  water connection, priority is given to quality-affected habitations. Since, planning, implementation and commissioning of piped water supply scheme based on a safe water source takes 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. In Odisha, CWPPs have been installed  in  all  the  36  habitations  reported  to  have  Fluoride  contaminations  beyond permissible limits in drinking water sources.

States/UTs have been directed to undertake testing of water quality on a periodic basis and take remedial  action  wherever  necessary,  to  ensure  that  the  water  supplied  to  households  is  of prescribed quality standards (BIS:10500). As a result of the above-mentioned efforts, as reported by States/UTs, as on 20/12/22, more than 26.85 lakh water samples have been tested in the water testing laboratories and 57.37 lakh water samples through the Field Testing Kits, in 2022-23 alone. 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/

As reported by Government of Odisha, the details of Central funds allocated, drawn and utilization thereof,  under Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 & 2022-23 (as on 20.12.2022) areas follows:

## (Amount in Rs. Crore)

|         | Central share   | Central share     | Central share           | Central share        | Central share        |                               |
|---------|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| Year    | Opening Balance | Budget allocation | Fund drawn by the State | Total available fund | Reported utilization | Expenditure under State share |
| 2019-20 | 0.78            | 364.74            | 364.74                  | 365.52               | 275.02               | 255.02                        |
| 2020-21 | 90.50           | 812.15            | 609.11                  | 699.61               | 688.69               | 673.00                        |
| 2021-22 | 10.93           | 3,323.42          | 2,492.56                | 2,503.49             | 1,306.20             | 1,289.72                      |
| 2022-23 | 1,197.29        | 3,608.62          | 866.57                  | 2,063.86             | 979.05               | 959.16                        |

Source: JJM-IMIS

## Annex referred in the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2685 to be answered on 22.12.2022.

## District-wise number of habitations affected with chemical contamination in drinking water sources in Odisha

(As on 20.12.2022)

| 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   |
|----------|---------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|          |               | Fluoride                                 | Fluoride                                 | Iron                                     | Salinity                                 | Nitrate                                  |
|          |               | Total No.                                | Covered with CWPP                        |                                          |                                          |                                          |
| 1.       | Balangir      | 10                                       | 10                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 2.       | Bargarh       | -                                        | -                                        | 15                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 3.       | Boudh         | 8                                        | 8                                        | 6                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 4.       | Cuttack       | -                                        | -                                        | 25                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 5.       | Gajapati      | -                                        | -                                        | 68                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 6.       | Ganjam        | -                                        | -                                        | 8                                        | 9                                        | -                                        |
| 7.       | Jagatsinghpur | -                                        | -                                        | 87                                       | 1                                        | -                                        |
| 8.       | Jharsuguda    | -                                        | -                                        | 3                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 9.       | Kalahandi     | 5                                        | 5                                        | 6                                        | -                                        | 1                                        |
| 10.      | Kandhamal     | -                                        | -                                        | 403                                      | -                                        | -                                        |
| 11.      | Khordha       | -                                        | -                                        | 54                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 12.      | Koraput       | -                                        | -                                        | 467                                      | -                                        | -                                        |
| 13.      | Malkangiri    | 5                                        | 5                                        | 292                                      | -                                        | 2                                        |
| 14.      | Mayurbhanj    | 4                                        | 4                                        | 17                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 15.      | Nabarangapur  | -                                        | -                                        | 21                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 16.      | Nayagarh      | 2                                        | 2                                        | 11                                       | -                                        | 3                                        |
| 17.      | Puri          | -                                        | -                                        | 75                                       | 12                                       | -                                        |
| 18.      | Rayagada      | 1                                        | 1                                        | 109                                      | -                                        | -                                        |
| 19.      | Subarnapur    | 1                                        | 1                                        | 2                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 20.      | Sundargarh    | -                                        | -                                        | 242                                      | -                                        | -                                        |
| Total    | Total         | 36                                       | 36                                       | 1,911                                    | 22                                       | 6                                        |

Source: JJM-IMIS

Note: No other habitations have been reported by the State as being affected with other chemical contaminants.