Parliament Question: Groundwater Contamination in Bihar

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 738 ANSWERED ON 24.07.2025 GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IN BIHAR 738. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is aware of the contamination of groundwater in the Kishanganj region of Bihar allegedly caused by mining activities and if so, the details thereof; (b) the specific measures taken by the Government to assess and mitigate the impact of this groundwater contamination; (c) the details of potential health risks identified for the local population due to the contaminated water and the steps being taken to address these risks; and (d) the extent to which the contamination has impacted agriculture and farming in the affected areas along with the remedial actions initiated to support local farmers? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data of the entire country including Kishanganj, Bihar on a regional scale as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies. The data on ground water quality for Bihar indicates that the ground water in the state remains largely potable. However, localized occurrence of certain contaminants, including Nitrates, Iron, Manganese etc, beyond the limits prescribed for drinking water use has been reported in some isolated pockets of the Kishanganj area, in the analysis conducted during 2024. (b) Water is a state subject and the responsibility of taking initiatives to mitigate ground water contamination and to provide safe drinking water to citizens lies primarily with the state governments. However, to complement the efforts of the state governments, several steps have been taken by the Central Government to address these issues across the country, including the state of Bihar. Some of the important ones are mentioned below:- i. The ground water quality data generated by CGWB is regularly disseminated through Annual Reports, Half-yearly Bulletins and Fortnightly Alerts for quick action by the stakeholders. ii. In order to enhance monitoring efficiency, a new Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for Groundwater Quality Monitoring has been adopted by CGWB, which stipulates more frequent 1and denser sampling, particularly in vulnerable areas, to ensure a more comprehensive assessment of groundwater quality. iii. Under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM) of CGWB, while taking up aquifer studies, special attention is being given to the aspect of ground water quality including contamination by toxic substances in ground water. iv. The ground water pollution also owes its origin to contamination of surface water sources for which various efforts have been made in the country like installing Sewage Treatment Plants, Effluent Treatment Plants and better system of sewage networks etc. Under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), the government has initiated several steps for improving the water quality along the river Ganga and its tributaries, which also covers the area of Bihar. v. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees (SPCBs/PCCs) is implementing the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to prevent and control pollution in water. CPCB has made a comprehensive programme on water pollution for controlling point sources by developing industry specific standards and general standards for discharge of effluents notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for enforcement by SPCBs/PCCs. (c) Long term consumption of ground water having contaminants above the permissible norms is known to cause several adverse health impacts like Arsenicosis, Fluorosis, diseases of lungs, kidneys and some types of cancers. Government of India, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with states for providing contamination free potable tap water to every rural household of the country in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis. Following measures have been taken under JJM to facilitate action on water quality aspects at state level including in Bihar :-  Water safety has been one of the key priorities under the JJM since its inception. Under the JJM, Bureau of Indian Standards’ BIS:10500 standards have been adopted as prescribed norms for quality of tap water service delivery.  While allocating the funds to States/ UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants.  The “Drinking Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Framework” was devised and disseminated to states in October 2021.  To facilitate implementation of the above said Framework, around 2180 water quality testing laboratories have been set up in the country with 123 in Bihar. Besides this, five persons, preferably women are identified and trained from every village for testing the water samples through Field Test Kits (FTKs). States/UTs have been advised to carry out testing of water 2quality on a regular basis and take remedial action wherever necessary to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.  States/ UTs have also been advised to install community water purification plants (CWPPs) as an interim measure, especially in quality affected habitations, to provide potable drinking water to every household.  As informed by Public Health Engineering Department, Bihar, to mitigate the impact of ground water contamination, under "Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal" yojana, 2325 water supply schemes have been established with Suitable WTP/IRP (Water Treatment Plants/Iron Removal Plants) in all the 1769 wards of the district. Through these water supply schemes, pure drinking water is being supplied to all the household of the district by providing tap water connection. (d) The Government is striving to make adequate water of appropriate quality available for agricultural and domestic needs across the country, including in Kishanganj, Bihar, by resorting to extensive construction of artificial recharge, rainwater harvesting and other water conservation structures and revival of traditional and existing water bodies. Towards this end, several schemes and programmes are ongoing in the country. In order to boost their impact through convergence, Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) is being implemented by this Ministry, including in Bihar since 2019, which is a mission mode and time bound programme for harvesting the rainfall and taking up water conservation activities The Government of Bihar, on its part, is implementing Jal Jeevan Hariyali Scheme with similar objectives. Additionally, this Ministry is promoting conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater and to reduce over-dependence on groundwater, surface water based Major and Medium irrigation projects have been taken up in the country under PMKSY-AIBP scheme in collaboration with States/UTs, including Bihar. ***** 3