Lok Sabha Question No. 663 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-23
Subject: Contaminated Drinking Water
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: HARIOM SINGH RATHORE, RAVNEET SINGH, PRATHAP SIMHA, NITYANAND RAI, KANWAR SINGH TANWAR, K. C. VENUGOPAL, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, JAYADEV GALLA, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, KIRTI (JHA) AZAD, DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL, SUKENDER REDDY GUTHA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 663**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.7.2015**

**Contaminated Drinking Water**

†663. 	SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE:

SHRI RAVNEET SINGH:

SHRI NITYANAND RAI:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL KUMARI

SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL:

SHRI GUTHA SUKENDER REDDY:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION   be pleased to state:

(a) whether arsenic, flouride and other hazardous chemicals have been found in excessive quantity in drinking water;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to check such chemicals; (c) the details diseases caused due to consumption of these chemicals in excessive quantity; (d) the funds released for the purpose during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to monitor the quality of drinking water?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

**(SHRI  RAM KRIPAL YADAV)**

(a) & (b) 	As on 1/4/2015, States have reported 66,761 rural habitation with water quality contaminations like arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity and nitrate. State-wise details of water quality affected habitations which are yet to be provided with safe drinking water is at Annex-I. Under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Porhgramme (NRDWP), 67% of the funds released to States can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems. Further, 5% of NRDWP funds are also earmarked for tackling problems relating to chemical contamination like arsenic and fluoride and also to solve problems relating Acute Enecephalitis Syndrome in 60 high priority districts in 5 States (Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal).

(c)	Prolonged consumption of excess fluoride in drinking water may lead to dental, skeletal or non-skeletal fluorosis. Prolonged consumption of excess arsenic in drinking water may lead to arsenicosis (Keratosis and Melanosis).

(d) & (e)	3% funds provided to States under NRDWP are earmarked exclusively for Water Quality Monitoring  & Surveillance which include creating/ updating water quality testing laboratories and test drinking water quality at regular intervals of time. Funds released to States during the last 3 years and current financial year is at Annex-II.

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Annex-I referred in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarrred Question No. 663 due for reply on 23/7/2015

**State-wise number of water quality affected habitations as on 1/4/2015 which are yet to be provided with safe drinking water**

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Annex-II referred in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarrred Question No. 663 due for reply on 23/7/2015

**Funds released under NRDWP during the last 3 years and current year**

**(in Rs Crore)**

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