(a) whether the Government has formulated any schemes to install community water purification projects in North-Eastern States (NE) to purify ground water;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) the funds allocated by the Union Government during the last three years and the current year to provide potable water to large population in the NE Region which are consuming groundwater that contains arsenic and fluoride?
¬¬¬MINISTER OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI )
(a) & (b) Yes Madam. On 13th November, 2014 Ministry has formulated and issued operational guidelines on implementation of Community Drinking Water Purification Plants in Rural India.
The Details of the scheme guidelines are as follows: -
1) The States shall tender out the project to private developer through a transparent process duly examining suitability of technology for removal / reduction of specific contamination
2) Contractor deployed / selected shall take up O&M from day-1 of the date of commissioning including trial run period and will be continued for 10 years.
3) The technological options to treat specific contaminants are left to the States to decide.
4) The States shall take up such habitations where the entire population is to be provided with safe drinking water @ 8-10 litres per capita per day.
5) The States shall provide raw water and the electricity to the plants.
6) Concerned States shall ensure that the reject management issues are dealt in an environmentally sustainable manner.
7) Public buildings in the affected areas should be given priority for installation of the water quality treatment units.
8) The State Government shall collect suitable tariff from the users.
(c) As per the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) guidelines, 10% of the total budget is allocated to North Eastern States. Funds allocated by this Ministry to the North-Eastern States during last three years and current year under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) is given in the Annexure-I.
As reported by the States into the online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry, only Assam is reported to have arsenic and fluoride affected habitations. Further, on recommendation of NITI Aayog, the Government of India had released Rs 11.57 crore to Assam in March’ 2016 to install community water purification plants in 288 arsenic affected habitations and 109 fluoride affected habitations by March’ 2017 so that 8-10 litres per capita per day of safe drinking water is made available, for drinking and cooking purposes to the affected rural population.
******