Question : Water Quality

(a) the number of people along with the number of habitations exposed to health hazards owing to drinking water containing excess arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity and nitrate in the country, State-wise, including Rajasthan;

(b) whether the Government has taken steps in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is planning urgent investments to tackle the crisis of water quality focusing on water treatment solutions such as reverse osmosis and also on improving water storage infrastructure for water table recharging ; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE
IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

(a) State-wise number of water quality affected habitations with population as reported by the States including Rajasthan into the Online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 5th February, 2017, which are yet to be provided safe drinking water is at Annexure.

(b) to (d) Rural drinking water supply is a state subject. 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) for providing safe drinking water to rural population.

Up to 67% fund allocated to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems. Further, 5% of the NRDWP funds are earmarked for Water Quality and allocated to those States with habitations affected by excess chemical contamination and with high priority districts affected by Japanese Encephalitis/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. In addition to this, 3% NRDWP fund is also provided for water quality monitoring and surveillance, which inter alia include taking up works relating to setting up of new / up-gradation of State /district/sub district water quality testing laboratories, providing chemicals and consumables to laboratories, hiring of manpower in laboratories, providing field test kits/refills and bacteriological vials to Gram Panchayats etc.

For improving source sustainability, upto 10% of NRDWP funds allocated to States could be utilized for activities like artificial recharging of ground water based drinking water sources.

States have been asked to focus on piped water supply schemes from safe and perennial surface water sources for sustainability of the schemes in water quality affected habitations. As immediate measures, States have been provided an amount of Rs. 800 Crores in March’ 2016 as 100% grant by Government of India on the recommendation of NITI Aayog to provide 8-10 litres per capita per day of safe drinking water in arsenic and fluoride affected habitations for drinking and cooking purposes, as short term measures through Community Water Purification Plants, which inter alia may include Reverse Osmosis based Community Water Purification Plants. In addition, funds to the tune of Rs.100 Crore each are also provided for tackling arsenic and fluoride problems in West Bengal and Rajasthan respectively for the last mile connectivity in commissioning surface water based piped water supply schemes.

In addition to this, the Ministry has formulated the National Water Quality Sub-Mission under NRDWP for focused funding to implement piped water supply schemes in arsenic and fluoride affected habitations for providing safe drinking water on a long term sustainable basis.

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