Drinking water sources are polluted in more than two hundred thousand Indian villages, the federal government has conceded. The pollution arises from essentially chemicals, it turns out.
In an affidavit to the Supreme Court of India, the Health ministry said, “Under the rural drinking water supply, the survey conducted indicated that there are 216,968 rural habitations affected by poor water quality — fluoride affected 31,306 villages, salinity affected 23,495, iron affected 118,088, arsenic affected 5,029, nitrate affected 13,958 and multiple factors affected 25,092.”
Issues Surrounding Drinking Water
Ensuring quality drinking water requires a holistic approach, including water security and concrete steps to prevent industrial pollution, argues a public health activist based in southern India.
Ensuring quality drinking water requires a holistic approach, including water security and concrete steps to prevent industrial pollution, argues a public health activist based in southern India.
Majority of these villages fall in Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.
However, the government promised the Court that it was doing whatever it could to tackle the “water quality problem.”
Upto 20% funds of the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARSWP) is earmarked for the purpose, affidavit said.
The government also said that under ‘Bharat Nirman’ scheme, a plan was afoot to build rural infrastructure in four years’ time. “Rural drinking water is one of the components of the said plan and under this, it is envisaged to address the problem of quality of water,” it added.
The dreaded arsenic poisoning of drinking water sources is acute in West Bengal and also prevalent in UP, Madhya Pradesh and Assam, where surveys have identified people suffering from arsenic lesions.
Excess use of fertilizers has polluted ground water sources with nitrate in Madhya Pradesh, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Desalination - A Solution to Water Needs
Desalination is a viable solution to the drinking water shortage the world over. India has taken a few good strides towards this end.
Desalination is a viable solution to the drinking water shortage the world over. India has taken a few good strides towards this end.
GPL/SK
Major Parts of Punjab Devastated by Diseases and Drinking Water Crisis
Severe drinking water crisis on top of high incidence of a range of diseases including cancer has made life miserable for the poorer sections in the Malwa region of Punjab in northern India.
Severe drinking water crisis on top of high incidence of a range of diseases including cancer has made life miserable for the poorer sections in the Malwa region of Punjab in northern India.
Toxic Chemicals from Shampoo, Soap may Be Seeping into Drinking Water
They may leave you feeling clean and refreshed, but it seems that all that chemicals in body wash, shampoo and soap you use may be seeping into your drinking water.
They may leave you feeling clean and refreshed, but it seems that all that chemicals in body wash, shampoo and soap you use may be seeping into your drinking water.
