Groundwater Contamination

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data of the country on a regional scale as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies. These studies indicate the occurrence of contaminants such as Flouride, Arsenic, Nitrate, Iron and Heavy Metals beyond permissible limits (as per BIS) for human consumption in isolated pockets in various States / UTs. The ground water contamination reported by CGWB is mostly geogenic in nature and does not show significant change over the years. However, nitrate contamination is mostly anthropogenic and its spread has been noticed in some areas, particularly areas adjoining habitations. Nitrate contamination can also be caused by excessive use of fertilizers. State-wise details of partly affected districts with select contaminants in Ground Water are given in the URL : http://cgwb.gov.in/contaminated-areas.html.

  Water being a State subject, initiatives on water quality is primarily States’ responsibility, however, various steps have been taken by the Central Government for providing contamination free water in the country. Some of them are given at Annexure-I. 

  Details of State-wise Central funds allocated, released and utilized under the Jal Jeevan Mission during 2021-22 are given at Annexure-II.  

  This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri  Bishweswar Tudu  in a written  reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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ANNEXURE-I

1. Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) since August, 2019 to provide potable tap water supply of prescribed quality to every rural household in the country by 2024. Under JJM, while planning water supply schemes to provide tap water supply to house-holds, priority is given to quality-affected habitations. While allocating the funds to States/ UTs in a particular financial year, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants including Arsenic and Fluoride, as on 31st March of the preceding Financial Year.
2. Since, planning, implementation and commissioning of piped water supply schemes based on a safe water source may take time, purely as an interim measure, States/ UTs have been advised to install community water purification plants (CWPPs) in such habitations, to provide potable water to every household at the rate of 8–10 litre per capita per day (lpcd) to meet their drinking and cooking requirements.
3. Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation had launched a National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) on 22nd March, 2017 as a part of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), which has now been subsumed under JJM, to provide safe drinking water to 27,544 Arsenic/ Fluoride affected rural habitations in the country.
4. Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 25th June, 2015 in selected 500 cities of the country with focus on development of urban infrastructure in various sectors including water supply. States/UTs have the option to take projects on special water supply arrangements for difficult areas, hill and coastal cities, including those having water quality problems.

ANNEXURE II 

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): Central fund allocated, released and reported utilization in 2021-22

(as on 07.12.2021)

            Source: JJM- IMIS                  ND: Not Drawn                    NR: Not Reported

BY/AS