Lok Sabha Question No. 2454 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-13
Subject: Level of Heavy Metal in Groundwater
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2454

## ANSWERED ON 13.03.2025

## LEVEL OF HEAVY METAL IN GROUNDWATER

## 2454. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  the  levels  of  heavy  metal  contamination  in  groundwater during the last five years in Bihar and the current year and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the initiatives taken/being taken by the Government to reduce heavy metal contamination in ground water; and

(c)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  to  mitigate  contamination  from  other  sources,  particularly  in  severely affected State like Bihar?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a) Central  Ground  Water  Board  (CGWB)  generates  ground  water  quality  data  of  the  entire  country including Bihar on a regional scale as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies. Most of the regular parameters like Electrical Conductivity (EC), Carbonates, Sodium, Nitrate, Fluoride etc. are monitored annually, however heavy metal analysis is being done periodically. The data on ground water quality for Bihar indicates that the ground water in the state remains largely potable.  However,  localized  occurrence  of  certain  contaminants,  including  heavy  metals  like  Arsenic, Iron,  Lead,  Chromium  and  Uranium,  beyond  the  limits  prescribed  for  drinking  water  use  has  been reported in some isolated pockets in the analysis conducted during 2019. Such details of  heavy metals observed in ground water samples from Bihar is provided in Annexure.

(b) & (c) Water is a state subject and the responsibility of ground water management, including taking initiatives for improving ground water quality and mitigate the contamination issue, lies primarily with the state governments. In addition to this, several steps have been taken by the Central Government in this direction. Some of the important ones are mentioned below:-

- i. The  ground  water  quality  data  generated  by  CGWB  including  that  for  heavy  metal contamination, is regularly disseminated through Annual Reports, Half-yearly Bulletins and Fortnightly Alerts for quick action by the stakeholders.
- ii. CGWB has successfully  constructed  Arsenic  free  wells  in  arsenic  affected  areas  using  the cement  sealing  technology  for  tapping  contamination  free  aquifers  and  also  providing technical  assistance  to  state  departments  for  replicating  such  construction.  So  far,  525

exploratory  wells  tapping  arsenic  safe  aquifers  have  been  constructed  under  NAQUIM programme including 40 in Bihar.

- iii. Under  the  National  Aquifer  Mapping  Programme  (NAQUIM)  of  CGWB,  while  taking  up aquifer studies, special attention is being given to the aspect of ground water quality including contamination by toxic substances such as heavy metals in ground water.
- iv. Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Har Ghar Jal, since August 2019, 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.  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.  Further,  under  JJM,  while allocating  the  funds  to  States/  UTs,  10%  weightage  is  given  to  the  population  residing  in habitations affected by chemical contaminants, including heavy metals.
- v. States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  plan  and  implement  piped  water  supply  schemes  of  bulk water transfer based on safe water sources such as surface water sources or alternative safe ground water sources for the villages with water quality issues.
- vi. Further, 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 in this regard has taken up a number of initiatives/schemes  like Jal Shakti  Abhiyan,  PMKSY-Watershed development, MGNREGA, Atal Bhujal Yojana etc.
- vii. The ground water pollution also owes its origin to contamination of surface water sources for which various efforts have been made in the country like installing Sewage Treatment Plants, Effluent Treatment Plants and better system of sewage networks etc. Under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the government has initiated several steps for improving the water quality along the river Ganga and its tributaries. Under the project,  a total of 203 number of sewerage infrastructure projects costing ₹ 32,613 crores have been taken up for remediation of polluted river areas with treatment capacity of 6,255 Million Liters per Day (MLD). 127 STP projects with a capacity of 3,446 MLD have been completed and made operational. Further, total 41 projects have been completed in Bihar under NMCG.
- viii. 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  to prevent and control pollution in water. CPCB has made a comprehensive programme on water pollution for controlling point sources by developing industry specific standards and general standards for discharge of effluents notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for enforcement by SPCBs/PCCs.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2454 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 13.03.2025 REGARDING 'LEVEL OF HEAVY METAL IN GROUNDWATER'.

Heavy metal Contamination in groundwater in Bihar

| State   |                  | Arsenic                                  | Arsenic         | Uranium                                  | Uranium         | Lead                                     | Lead            | Chromium                                | Chromium          | Iron                                    | Iron          |
|---------|------------------|------------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------------|
|         | Tot al Sa mpl es | No. of sample s above Permis sible Limit | % Ab ove Li mit | No. of sample s above Permis sible Limit | % Ab ove Li mit | No. of sample s above Permis sible Limit | % Ab ove Li mit | No. of samples above Permiss ible Limit | % Ab ov e Li mi t | No. of samples above Permissi ble Limit | % Above Limit |
| Bihar   | 607              | 72                                       | 11.86           | 11                                       | 1.81            | 14                                       | 2.31            | 11                                      | 1.81              | 184                                     | 31.31         |

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