Question : Ban on Reverse Osmosis Purifiers

(a) whether the Government has taken actions on the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT) to ban/ prohibit the Reverse Osmosis (RO) purifiers in places where Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in water flow is 500 mg per litre, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has identified places having TDS less than 500 mg per litre of water where RO is not required;
(c) whether the Government has decided to seek users views before banning RO, if so, the time limit fixed for submitting public views along with the response of the public in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the number of places having TDS more than 500 mg per litre of water;
(e) whether the Government has consulted all stakeholders such as NGT, Central and State Pollution Control Boards in this regard; and
(f) if so, the details thereof and the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) to (f) Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) in O.A. 134 of 2015 titled ‘Friends through its General Secretary versus Ministry of Water Resources’ vide its order dated 20.05.2019 directed that Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) may issue appropriate notification prohibiting use of Reverse Osmosis (RO) where Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) in water is less than 500mg/l. NGT further directed that wherever RO is permitted, a requirement be laid down for recovery of water to be more than 60%.

In pursuance of above order, MoEF&CC haspublished draft notification for regulation of Membrane Based Water Purification System. While regulating the use of RO system in the Country, inter-alia based on TDS parameter, the concerned authorities and Private/Public sector agencies engaged in supplyof potable water, shall inform the consumers about the water sources and quality including TDS concentration of water being supplied through billing instruments and also through public advertisement in newspaper and other mass media on regular basis. The draft notification is available on MoEF&CC website for suggestion/ Comments from public and affected stakeholders.
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