Question : DEATHS DUE TO CONTAMINATED WATER

(a) the details of the diseases which are caused due to consumption of contaminated water having high level of toxic elements like arsenic, fluoride etc.;

(b) the number of persons who have died due to such diseases during the last three years and the current year, State/UTwise;

(c) the funds provided by the Union Government to the State Governments and utilized by them to check the spread of such diseases during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether some State Governments have requested the Union Government to provide more funds; and

(e) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and the action taken or proposed to be taken by the Government thereon?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE(SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)

(a): As per WHO publication entitled “Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality”, Arsenic is known as carcinogenic. When it is consumed regularly beyond limit it can develop cancers in various parts of the body including lungs, bladder skin etc.

Excess intake of fluoride through drinking water/food products/industrial pollutants over a long period, can, cause major health diseases like dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis.

(b): This data is not being maintained by the Central Government.

(c) to (e): To address the problem of fluorosis in the country, a new health initiative entiled ‘National Programme for Prevention and Control of Flurosis’ (NPPCF) has been approved under the 11th five year plan for an amount of Rs.68 crores. The Programme started in the year 2008-09 in one district in each of the six states namely Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), Jamnagar(Gujarat), Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Nayagarh(Orissa), Nagaur (Rajasthan) and Dharmapuri(Tamil Nadu).An amount of Rs.31.66 lakh was released to each of six states in the year 2008-09 for implementation of the Programme in their respective districts.No request from approved districts under the programme have been received for more funds.