(a) whether the Government are aware of the recent report of the
United Nations on the evaluation of global water resources placing
the country’s rank at 120th among 122 nations in the world in
terms of quality of water available for citizens;
(b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(c) the strategy contemplated by the Government to improve the
quality of water in the country?
THE MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES (SHRI ARJUN CHARAN SETHI)
(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF STARRED
QUESTION NO. 350 TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 7.4.2003
REGARDING EVALUATION OF GLODBAL WATER RESOURCES.
(a) Yes, Sir and Madam.
(b) As per the ‘United nations World Water Development Report-
Water for People, Water for Life’, India has been ranked 120th
among 122 nations in the world in terms of quality of water.
Belgium is at 122nd rank. The evaluation made in ranking has not
been explained.
(c) The National Water Policy (2002) emphasizes on water. The
policy provides that both surface water and ground water should be
regularly monitored for quality and effluents should be treated to
acceptable levels and standards before discharging them into
natural streams. The policy further provides that principle of
‘polluter pays’ should be followed in management of polluted
water.
Several steps have been taken for improvement/restoration
of quality of water bodies in the country and some of them
are:
(i) Ensuring industries, located on the banks of rivers and
lakes, set up the requisite pollution control facilities.
(ii) Issuance of Directives to the defaulting industries for
preventing discharge of untreated waste water into water bodies.
(iii) Formulation and implementation of National River and
Lake Conservation Plan for restoration of water quality of the
rivers and lakes.