(a) whether any assessment has been made regarding quantity of fluoride in drinking water in various parts of the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/ UT-wise;
(c) the details of the efforts made by the Government to check the excess of fluoride in drinking water; and
(d) the details of the future plan in this regard?
MINISTER OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SUSHREE UMA BHARTI)
(a) to (d) A Statement of reply is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 84 due for reply on 21.12.2017
(a) to (d) : Rural drinking water supply is a state subject. For improving the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population, 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). It is the State Governments who plan, design, approve, execute and operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population. The funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems with priority to arsenic and fluoride affected habitations.
Assessment of Fluoride in drinking water is being done by the State Governments through laboratory testing for which this Ministry is assisting States through NRDWP. Up to 5% of funds provided to states under NRDWP can be utilized for Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQMS), which inter alia include taking up works relating to setting up of new / up-gradation of State/ district/sub district / block level/ mobile water quality testing laboratories, providing chemicals and consumables to laboratories, providing field test kits/refills to Gram Panchayats etc.
State / UT-wise number of fluoride affected habitations with population, as reported by the States into Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 15th December, 2017 is at Annexure.
To deal with arsenic and fluoride contamination, with the recommendation of NITI Aayog, Government of India has released Rs 800 crore in March’ 2016 for commissioning community water purification plants in 1,327 arsenic and 12,014 fluoride affected habitations so that safe water for drinking and cooking needs is addressed immediately. 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.
Further, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation had launched the National Water Quality Sub-Mission on 22nd March 2017 under NRDWP to provide safe drinking water to about 28,000 arsenic / fluoride affected habitations over a span of 4 years.