CAG to audit water pollution in India

The government's official auditor Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) today said it plans to undertake environmental audit of water pollution in India for which it has solicited people's participation.

The performance audit on 'Pollution of Rivers, Lakes and Groundwater in India' will be conducted by CAG during 2010-11.

"Issues, causes and mitigation methods relating to rivers, lakes and groundwater in the country would be addressed in the audits," said an official statement.

The aim is also to identify critical issues and suggest solutions, which would help the government to conserve and protect the scarce resource more effectively, it said.

The apex audit body is also organising an international conference on environment concerns about water pollution.

The conference would discuss causes of pollution, action taken by governments and civil society, and environmental, management and legal interventions needed to put lakes, rivers and ground water on the path of sustainability.

CAG has taken initiatives for participation of large number of stakeholders before undertaking the audits.

It issued advertisements in newspapers across the country inviting comments from the public regarding water pollution issues. These would be used while planning the audit.

So far, around 500 suggestions through e-mails, faxes, letters, post cards have been received focusing attention on various issues on pollution of lakes, rivers and groundwater, the statement added.

"These would be taken into account by the CAG in identifying critical areas for review," it said. CAG is in the process of studying these responses and building up a database which would capture their essence.