Question : WATER RETURN

(a) whether the Union Government has taken any steps in pursuance to the 12th Five Year Plan document which envisages filing of ‘water returns’ as compulsory by the commercial and manufacturing companies to check the reckless use of water and pollution;

(b) the number of industries which have observed the said provision, State-wise;

(c) the number of such industries which have not filed water return as per the said provision;

(d) the action taken by the Government against such industries; and

(e) the other steps being taken by the Union Government to ban the unabated commercial use of water in drought affected areas and make uninterrupted supply of water in drought affected residential areas?

THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)

(a) Provision for making filing of ‘water return’ as compulsory by the commercial and manufacturing companies is at conceptual stage.

(b) to (d) Do not arise since the filing of water returns by industries has not yet been made compulsory.

(e) State Governments undertake necessary measures to regulate commercial use of water in the State including drought affected areas and provide uninterrupted supply of water in the State including drought affected residential areas.

The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation administers through the States the centrally sponsored scheme, National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for providing financial and technical assistance to the States to supplement their efforts to provide drinking water to the rural areas including drought affected areas. The State Governments are vested with powers to plan, execute and implement drinking water supply schemes under NRDWP.

Ministry of Urban Development is supplementing the efforts of State Governments/Urban Local Bodies in providing water supply in Urban areas/Metropolitan cities under the schemes/ programmes such as Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme, Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme in Satellite Towns.