Question : Pure Drinking Water

(a) whether hazardous chemicals including fluoride, arsenic and nitrate, etc. have been found in excessive quantity in drinking water in various parts of the country and if so, the details thereof, habitation-wise and State-wise;
(b) the number and percentage of habitations and households affected by poor water quality during each of the last three years and the current year State/ UT-wise;
(c) the short term and long term remedial steps being taken/proposed to be taken by the Union Government to provide safe drinking water to all those habitations separately for the hazardous contaminants and poor water quality;
(d) the financial assistance provided by the Government to provide safe drinking water in these habitations during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and
(e) whether community Water Purification Plants have been provided to resolve the problem and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE
IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) State-wise number of water quality affected habitations viz., arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity, nitrate and heavy metals in rural drinking water sources as reported by the States as on 11/11/2016 into the online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry is at Annexure-I.
(b) The State-wise total number and percentage of water quality affected habitations affected with excess chemical contamination in rural drinking water sources as on 1/4/2014, 1/4/2015, 1/4/2016 and as reported by States into IMIS on 11/11/2016 is Annexure-II.
(c) Out of the chemical contaminations monitored by the Ministry, arsenic and fluoride may have health hazards on prolonged consumption of poor quality of water. Therefore, as short term measure, funds to the tune of Rs 800 crore has been provided to affected States with the recommendation of NITI Aayog to provide community water purification plants in arsenic and fluoride affected habitations. States have been advised to provide piped water supply to all such affected habitations on priority based from safe surface or ground water source.
(d) Rural drinking water supply is a State subject. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to States for providing safe drinking water in adequate quantity through the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). Upto 67% funds released to States could be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems. State-wise funds released under NRDWP during the last 3 years and the current year is at Annexure-III.
(e) Utilizing funds provided with the recommendation of NITI Aayog, 41 community water purification plants have been set up in arsenic affected habitations in West Bengal. Further, using NITI Aayog recommended funds, Andhra Pradesh (80 Plants), Karnataka (1 Plant), Odisha (1 Plant), Rajasthan (20 Plants) totaling 102 community water purification plants in fluoride affected habitations have also been installed. However, during the various discussions, video-conferences, workshops, etc. the Ministry held with State Departments dealing with rural drinking water supply, it is understood that 8,298 community water purification plants have been set up so far in the country and the State-wise details is at Annexure-IV.
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