Lok Sabha Question No. 1925 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-10
Subject: Detection of Antibiotics in Yamuna Water
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, DHARMENDRA YADAV, Shrirang Appa Barne

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1925

ANSWERED ON 10.12.2015

## DETECTION OF ANTIBIOTICS IN YAMUNA WATER

| 1925.   | SHRIADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO   | SHRIANANDRAO ADSUL       |
|---------|---------------------------------|--------------------------|
|         | SHRIDHARMENDRA YADAV            | SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE |

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

- (a) whether presence of antibiotics has been confirmed through test of the water samples of the Yamuna river and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether most of the antibiotics detected in the water samples are prescribed for cold and flu, respiratory tract infections, pneumonia and tuberculosis and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to prevent the fluid waste being drained into Yamuna?

## ANSWER

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

(PROF. SANWAR LAL JAT)

- (a) Yes, Madam. Yamuna water samples collected by All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at 6 locations from Wazirabad (Sur Ghat) to SaritaVihar were subjected to analysis using liquid chromatography  coupled  tandem  mass  spectroscopy  for  most  of  the  widely  used  antibiotics  such  as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, amoxycillin, sparfloxacin, gentamicin, erythromycin and azithromycin.  The  water  samples  obtained  from  Yamuna  were  found  to  contain  antibiotics  with  the following concentrations:

| Fluoroquinolone antimicrobials Ciprofloxacin (7.6 - 25µg/lt) Norfloxacin (1.82 - 84µg/lt) Ofloxacin (10.3 - 38.5µg/lt) Sparfloxacin (0.2 - 1.16µg/lt)   | Macrolide antibiotics Azithromycin (2.66 - 10µg/lt) Erythromycin (4.00 - 679µg/lt) Beta-lactam antibiotic Amoxycillin (0.58 - 12.3µg/lt)   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

(b)      Yes,  Madam.  As  per  AIIMS,  the  above  category  of  antibiotics  are  in  prevalent  use  for  upper respiratory  tract  infections  and  secondary  infections  after cold,  flu (erythromicin,  azithromicin),   second line drug therapy for tuberculosis (ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin),  and drug therapy for typhoid (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, amoxicillin). Most of the antibiotics tested belong to 4 major classes, which are extensively used in  clinical  practice  in  various  government/private  hospitals/clinics  for  various  infections  based  on  their microbial  spectrum and  sensitivity.  Sub-therapeutic  concentrations  of  these  antibiotics  are  expected  to induce drug resistance in susceptible microbes.

(c) The following steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  to  prevent waste being drained into Yamuna:

- i. Control  of  Industrial  pollution  under  the  provision  of  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of Pollution), Act, 1974.
- ii. Special Drives against 17 categories of industries
- iii. Environmental auditing
- iv. Promotion of Common effluent treatment plants for cluster of Small Scale Industrial units.
- v. Promotion of low-waste and no-waste technology
- vi. Zero Liquid Discharge has been implemented in a number of categories of Industries to protect the water quality in view of lean flow situation in rivers and streams in a larger non monsoon period.
- vii. The continuous water quality monitoring systems are being established on industrial units in the country through the directives issued by CPCB for getting real time information on the effluent quality.
- viii. CPCB has issued direction  u/s  18  1  (b)  of  Water  (Prevention  and  Control  of  Pollution)  Act, 1974  vide  letter  dated  21/04/2015  to  all  State  Pollution  Control  Boards/Pollution  Control Committees to make mandatory for local/urban bodies to set up STPs of adequate capacity and provide underground sewerage system to cover the entire local/urban areas and to bridge the treatment gap along with enforcement of consent management in line with standards for sewage treatment.
- ix. CPCB has also issued direction u/s 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to 46 Municipal authorities of metropolitan cities and 23 municipal authorities of State Capitals for treatment and utilization of sewage for restoration of water quality of rivers.

In  addition  to  the  above,  NMCG  is  providing  financial  assistance  for  construction/rehabilitation  of Sewage Treatment Plants in Delhi, Haryana and UP.

*****