Lok Sabha Question No. 2620 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Quality of Water
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: KAMLA DEVI PATLE

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2620

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2015

## QUALITY OF WATER

2620. SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

(OIH)

## Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the Government has formulated any scheme/action plan for fixing stringent norms with regard to the quality of drinking water and making its implementation mandatory;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps proposed to be taken to ensure the supply of safe drinking water;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  any  proposal  for  taking  stringent  action  against  the  local Government agencies and water supply boards failing in ensuring the supply of safe drinking water;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e)   whether any test for determining purity/quality of drinking water has been conducted recently and if so, the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (d) : Madam, fixing of Standards including that for public drinking water supply is in the mandate of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which has formulated IS 10500: 2012 drinking water specification.

Ministry  of  Urban  Development  has  informed  that  providing  water  supply  and  maintaining  the quality of drinking water in urban areas is the responsibility of States/ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).  The Ministry of Urban Development is not involved in the day to day activities of operating and maintaining urban water supply systems.  However, Ministry of Urban Development facilitates States/ULBs in framing broad  policies,  programmes  and  guidelines  on  urban  water  supply  and  provides  Additional  Central Assistance (ACA) under various programmes run from time-to-time.

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has informed that the IS 10500: 2012 Standard which is Drinking  Water  Specifications  for  Public  Drinking  Water  Supply  is  voluntary  in  nature.    Since  Water Supply is a State Subject, any action against contamination of water being supplied is to be dealt by the State Government itself.  However, larger domain of water quality problems are brought to the notice of Statutory  Bodies  like  National  Human  Rights  Commission,  National  Green  Tribunal,  etc.    However, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Govt. of India allocates 3% of funds released to the States for Water  Quality  Monitoring  and  Surveillance  which  inter-alia  including  setting  up  and  running  of  Water Quality  Testing  Laboratories  so  that  access  of  safe  drinking  water  is  ensured  by  the  State  Department dealing with Rural Drinking Water Supply.

- (e) :  As  reported  by  the  States  in  Integrated  Management  Information  System  (IMIS)  of  the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, during the year 2014-15, 40 lakhs drinking water samples have been reported tested by the  Water Quality Testing Laboratories and during the current  year 2015-16, till 08-12-2015, 21.8 lakhs drinking water samples have been reported tested.

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