Lok Sabha Question No. 1855 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-10
Subject: Presence of Arsenic in Major Rivers
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: RITI PATHAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1855

ANSWERED ON 10.12.2015

## PRESENCE OF ARSENIC IN MAJOR RIVERS

## 1855.   SHRIMATI  RITI  PATHAK

Will  the  Minister  of  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND  GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to decrease the level of arsenic in the water of river Ganga;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has any technology to deal with arsenic problem in the major rivers; (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the measures taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to provide arsenic free water to the people?

## ANSWER

## THE  HON'BLE  MINISTER  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES,  RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION

(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)

(a) & (b)  Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is monitoring water quality at 1275 locations on  445  Rivers,  including  river  Ganga.    The  monitored  data  does  not  reflect  any  detectable presence of Arsenic contamination in rivers at any of the monitored locations of the network.

(c) to (e)   Use of alternate sources of Arsenic free water is the most commonly used technique to deal with Arsenic problem.  As a measure to deal with Arsenic menace, Government of India through  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  &  Sanitation  (MoDWS)  supplements  the  efforts  of  the States  by  providing  them  technical  and  financial  support  to  the  schemes  being  developed  for drinking water supply in the States. 20% of the funds allocated under National Rural Drinking

Water Programme (NRDWP) of MoDWS are earmarked for water quality problems.  Further, States may also utilize up to 67% of funds released under NRDWP for improving water quality of  ground  &  surface  water.    MoDWS  has  targeted  coverage  of  all  remaining  Arsenic  and Fluoride affected habitations by March, 2017 either through surface water based supply schemes or by installation of community water purification plants to make available at least 8-10 liters per capita  per  day  (LPCD)  of  safe  drinking  water  to  the  affected  rural  people  for  drinking  and cooking purposes.

In addition, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) carries out exploratory drilling to delineate contaminant  free  aquifer  zones  and  successful  exploratory  wells  are  handed  over  to  the concerned  State  Agencies  for  utilization.    Hydrogeological  surveys  and  exploratory  drilling carried out by CGWB in Arsenic affected areas of the Indo-Gangetic Plains have revealed that the contaminated aquifers are generally confined to 120 mbgl (metres below ground level) in the alluvial  areas.    CGWB  has  assisted  in  identifying  Arsenic  free  aquifers  and  construction  of Arsenic free wells in the following States:

| S.No.   | State         |   Number of Arsenic free wells constructed |
|---------|---------------|--------------------------------------------|
| 1       | West Bengal   |                                        161 |
| 2       | Bihar         |                                         28 |
| 3       | Chhattisgarh  |                                          6 |
| 4       | Uttar Pradesh |                                         28 |
| 5       | Assam         |                                         47 |
|         | Total         |                                        270 |

Besides,  CGWB  also  conducts  awareness  raising  programs  on  ground  water  related  issues including quality issues related to contamination and pollution hazards.

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