28,000 arsenic/fluoride affected habitations

The assessment of fluoride in drinking water is being done by the state governments through laboratory testing

GN Bureau | December 27, 2017


#Water Pollution   #Pollution   #Water   #Drinking Water   #Uma Bharati   #Groundwater   #Arsenic   #Fluoride  
Representational photo by Arun Kumar
Representational photo by Arun Kumar

There are about 28,000 arsenic/fluoride affected habitations in the country.

Union minister Uma Bharati informed parliament that the ministry of drinking water and sanitation had launched the National Water Quality Sub-Mission on 22nd March 2017 under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to provide safe drinking water to about 28,000 arsenic/fluoride affected habitations over a span of 4 years.

The minister said that rural drinking water supply is a state subject. For improving the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population, the ministry supplements the efforts of the states by providing them with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored NRDWP.

Read: Bitten to the bone, by water

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.

The minister said that assessment of fluoride in drinking water is being done by the state governments through laboratory testing.

To deal with arsenic and fluoride contamination, with the recommendation of NITI Aayog, the 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.

 

 

Comments

 

Other News

Experts call for stronger communication of air pollution science

Experts have emphasized the urgent need to improve how scientific evidence on air pollution is communicated to policymakers and the public to spur meaningful health and policy action. They were participating in a webinar titled “Communicating Air Pollution Science for Public Health Act

Maharashtra to partner with Starlink for satellite-based internet

In a step toward inclusive digital transformation, the Maharashtra government has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited. With this, Maharashtra becomes the first Indian state to formally collaborate with Starlink to deploy satellite-based internet services f

Young Birders’ Month: A nationwide celebration inspiring budding nature explorers

This November, children and young people across India are embarking on a joyful exploration of birds and nature as part of Young Birders’ Month (YBM) - a first-of-its-kind, month-long campaign created to spark curiosity and ecological awareness among young minds. This initiative is organized collabor

How Bangladesh’s bonhomie with ISI, China poses threat to India

Although New Delhi has not officially commented on the growing footprint of Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) in Bangladesh, India`s strategic and security community appears to be highly concerned over last week’s development in Dhaka.  During Pakistan’s Joi

CSR in India: Stop counting rupees, start measuring impact

When India became the first country in the world to legislate corporate social responsibility (CSR) in 2013, it marked a bold experiment in blending profit with purpose. By law, companies with a net worth of ₹500 crore or more, or a turnover of ₹1,000 crore or more, or net profit of ₹5 crore or more

A perfect match of Eastern philosophy and modern self-help

Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery By Shi Heng Yi Particular Book/Penguin Books, 264 pages In the history

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now





Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter