Lok Sabha Question No. 249 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Groundwater Contamination in Punjab
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Sher Singh Ghubaya, Shri Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 249

ANSWERED ON 12/12/2024

## GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IN PUNJAB

## †*249. SHRI SUKHJINDER SINGH RANDHAWA

SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the groundwater in Punjab is not safe for drinking and its consumption is causing serious diseases;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has a plan to test the quality of groundwater, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to prevent the groundwater from getting polluted;
- (d) whether the Government has noted that some heavy industries are discharging their effluents into the ground through boring and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the action taken/ likely to be taken by the Government against such industries?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI C R PATIL)

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

*****

## Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha  Starred Question No. 249 answered on 12.12.2024

(a)  &  (b)  Government  of  India,  in  partnership  with  States,  is  implementing  Jal  Jeevan Mission (JJM) since August 2019 to provide 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  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  as  per  existing  guidelines,  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards'  BIS:10500 standards are adopted as benchmarks for quality of water being supplied through the piped water supply schemes.

Under  JJM,  while  planning  water  supply  schemes  to  provide  tap  water  supply  to households, priority is given to habitations affected by chemical contaminants. 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.

Water  being  a  state  subject,  the  responsibility  of  planning,  approval,  implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, lies with State/Union Territory (UT) Governments. The Government of India supports the States including Punjab by providing technical and financial assistance. As reported by the Government of Punjab, it has provided tap water supply to all the  rural households in Punjab

Various steps have been taken by the Central Government for testing of drinking water quality in the country as under: -

- i) 'Drinking Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Framework' has been released on 13.03.2021 for guidance to States / UT's officials and local village level functionaries to expand the water quality  testing  and  reporting,  surveillance  of  drinking  water  sources, sanitary surveys, setting up of laboratories, etc.
2. ii) Under JJM, upto 2% of the allocation to States/ UTs may be utilized for Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities inter alia which includes activities like setting  up  and  strengthening  of  water  quality  testing  laboratories,  procurement  of equipment, instruments, chemicals, glassware, consumables, hiring of skilled manpower, surveillance by community using Field Test Kits(FTKs), awareness generation, educational programmes on water quality, NABL  accreditation / recognition of laboratories, etc.
3. iii) Under JJM, States / UTs have been advised to carry out testing of drinking water sources once in year for chemical and physical parameters and twice in a year for bacteriological parameters. 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. The State-wise details of water quality test reported on WQMIS is in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at:

https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/

- iv) States / UTs have been advised to identify and train 5 persons preferably women in each village  from  local  community  viz.  ASHA  workers,  health  workers,  Village  Water  and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) members, teachers, etc. to conduct water quality tests using FTKs/ bacteriological vials at village level and report the same on the portal. More than 24.77 lakh women have been trained to do FTK tests for water quality and more than 73.92 lakh tests have been conducted in FY 2024-25.
- v) More than 2160 water quality testing laboratories have been set up in States / UTs and more than 53 lakh samples have been tested under JJM.
- vi) A Handbook on Drinking Water Treatment Technologies was released in March 2023 to disseminate information regarding new technologies available amongst all stakeholders to improve  the  performance  and  implementation  drinking  water  treatment  plants  using technologies  that  address  local  issues  and  challenges  faced  in  water-quality  affected villages.  The  States  may  take  up  appropriate  water  treatment  system  depending  upon techno-economic feasibility.

Government of Punjab has reported that it conducts regular testing of its own water supply sources i.e. once for chemical parameters and twice for bacteriological parameters (pre-& post monsoon). During 2023-24, as reported by Punjab on JJM-WQMIS portal, 33,107 water samples have been tested in water testing laboratories and 1,46,504 water samples using Field Testing Kits. As on 09.12.2024, 46,397 samples in labs and 1,01,793 samples using FTKs have been tested so far during 2024-25 in the State.

(c) The Central Ground water Board has taken following steps for facilitating ground water quality improvement/ remediation of contamination in the country, as given below:

- i) Data on ground water quality available with CGWB are made available in public domain through reports as well as through the web site (http://www.cgwb.gov.in) for use by various stakeholders.  The  data  is  also  shared  with  concerned  State  Governments  for  taking necessary remedial measures.
2. ii) National Aquifer Mapping Studies have been carried out in State of Punjab for an area of 50369 Sq km. Based on NAQUIM studies, groundwater management plans have been prepared and reports have been shared with State and District Authorities for implementation.
3. iii)Under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM) of CGWB, special attention is  being  given  to  the  aspect  of  ground  water  quality  including  contamination  by  toxic substances such as Arsenic in ground water. CGWB is successfully constructing 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 in Fluoride mitigation.
4. iv) Awareness generation programs / workshops on various aspects of ground water including preventing ground water pollution and safe use of contaminated water are being conducted by CGWB periodically.

The State Government of Punjab has also set-up a dedicated Directorate of Ground Water Management, with the prime objective of conserving and managing water resources.

(d) & (e):  As reported by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), all the industries including water  polluting  industries  are  being  regularly  monitored  and  physically  checked  by  Punjab Pollution Control Board as per the mandate schedule. None of the industries are discharging their effluents into the ground through boring as per the record of PPCB.

****