Over two crore people in 28,491 habitats in the country are exposed to carcinogenic arsenic and fluoride contaminated water. At long last, the Government is mulling a Rs21494.35 crore plan to eliminate these poisonous metals by March 2020.
Under the three-phased national sub-mission, framed within the National Scheme National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), new piped water supply schemes from safe perennial sources are planned to be undertaken by the States in the habitats affected by arsenic and fluoride.
“Earlier funds under the NRDWP were doled out to all the habitats affected with any kind of contaminated water whether arsenic, nitrite or iron.
“But now we are planning to have focused approach under the sub-mission to tackle arsenic and fluoride, which are on increase and cause to many serious diseases,” a senior official said from the Ministry.
He said that a circular has been issued to all the affected States for their comments and suggestions. A national consultation is planned with them on September 9.
The fund for the submission, to be executed by the Union Water and Sanitation Ministry, will be 50:50 sharing basis between the Centre and State. However, it will be 90: 10 for the Hilly States.
The official said that the programme aims to take India one step closer toward international standard of water quality by 2020.
As per the proposed programme, fund will be exclusively meant for those habitats affected with the two identified metals. However, sources said that for the cash-starved Ministry, the fund is likely to be a major issue.
The three-tier mission will begun with the diagnostic phase aimed to correctly determine the action plan based on most recent data, second will be implementation phase, wherein area specific schemes will be rolled out. In the third phase, it will be ensured that schemes are running successfully with adequate surveillance.
To ensure transparency and accountability the Government is contemplating geo-tagging as well as third-party monitoring.
As per the Government data, in as many as 78,508 rural habitations, water is contaminated by arsenic, fluoride, iron or nitrate. Pesticides and fertilisers also contaminate potable water sources.
Arsenic and fluoride poison the water in 23652 habitats, home to nearly 2.1 crore.
Rajasthan is worst affected by water contamination in the country where 22,254 habitations in the State are yet to be provided with safe drinking water. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha last month, the Government too had presented the dismal picture of drinking water in the Northern State when it said there are 7,056 habitations in the State, which are severely affected by fluoride.
As per the Government's plan, 90 per cent of rural population would be provided safe drinking water by 2022 through surface water based piped water supply schemes, subject to availability of funds.