India News | Arsenic-affected Habitations Yet to Receive Tapped Water Supply Provided Safe Drinking Water

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) All 378 arsenic-affected habitations that are yet to receive tapped water supply in households have been provided with safe drinking water through Community Water Purification Plants, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

According to the operational guidelines for implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, a short-term measure has to be provided in habitations affected by water quality, including arsenic, on priority until piped water supply schemes based on alternative safe sources are implemented, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply.

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The Centre launched the Jal Jeevan Mission, to be implemented in partnership with the states, in August 2019.

The minister said drinking water being a state subject, the choice of technology for addressing the issues of water quality while planning for piped water supply schemes in the affected areas lie with the respective state or Union Territory governments.

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The Centre is actively working with academic institutions such as Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) to supplement the states' efforts by providing advice on various technologies available to address such issues.

As reported by the states/Union Territories in the Integrated Management Information System as on December 6, all 378 arsenic-affected habitations that are yet to receive tap water supply in households have been provided with safe drinking water through Community Water Purification Plants for drinking and cooking purposes, the minister said.

The IIT-Madras has developed a technology -- AMRIT (Arsenic and Metal Removal by Indian Technology) -- for the removal of arsenic and metal ions from water. The technology uses nano-scale iron oxy-hydroxide, which selectively removes arsenic when water is passed through it, he said.

This water purifier has been developed for both domestic and community levels. The technology has also been recommended by the Standing Committee of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation for examination of the best technologies concerning water and sanitation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)