(a) whether contamination of heavy metals such as lead, mercury,chromium, cadmium, copper and Aluminium in drinking water is harmful and causes deadly diseases like mental deformity, myalgia, joint pain, gastrointestinal deformities etc. and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether industrial workers and population residing near polluting industries are more prone to these diseases due to non-supply of safe drinking water;and
(c) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI S.S.AHLUWALIA)
(a) to (c) : As reported by the States into Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 28th February, 2018, there are 12,720 habitations affected by manganese, copper, aluminum, mercury, uranium, lead, cadmium, selenium, zinc. Many of the heavy metals have different effects on human metabolism and some of them are carcinogenic.
Rural drinking water supply is a state subject. For improving the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population, this Ministry supplements the efforts of the states by providing them with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). It is the State Government who plan, design, approve, execute and operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population. The funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems, which also include rural areas near polluting industries.