Lok Sabha Question No. 71 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-02
Subject: Contamination of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Hasnain Masoodi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 71 ANSWERED ON 02.02.2023

## CONTAMINATION OF WATER

## 71.  SHRI HASNAIN MASOODI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the measures being taken to address the issue of contaminated water in Kulgam District against the failure of the installation of purification plants under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM); and
- (b) the number and timelines for purification plants proposed to be installed in the Brinal, Bugam and Yaripora villages of Kulgam district and Khrew area of Pulwama district to provide safe drinking water for the residents of Kulgam and Pulwama?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) Drinking Water being a State subject, it is States/UTs who plan, design, approve and implement drinking water supply schemes. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. As such State/ UT and district-wise details of individual projects/ schemes for rural water supply, including proposals and approval, are not maintained at the Government of India level.

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 by 2024. Under JJM, while allocating the funds to States/ UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants.

Under JJM, 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.

Contamination  in  drinking  water  sources  is  monitored  habitation-wise.  The  UT  of  Jammu  & Kashmir have not reported any habitation  with  contaminants  in  drinking  water  source  beyond permissible limit.

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 undertake testing of water quality on a periodic basis and take remedial action 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 31/01/23, more than 42.85 lakh water samples have been tested in the water testing laboratories and 77.29 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

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