Guj govt tweaked Central water quality norms: Suresh Mehta

Politician turned activist Suresh Mehta Monday alleged the Gujarat government has tweaked water purity standards, as a result of which more than four crore people in the state are forced to drink contaminated water.

Citing a report of Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB), Mehta claimed that 10 out of 13 standards about water quality specified by the Centre have been tweaked by the Board, which effectively means that even contaminated water with high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is allowed to be supplied to the people.

"There are total 13 different standards which has to be followed while supplying water to the people. Now, the Board has changed 10 such parameters. The report, tabled in the Assembly recently, says that permissible limit for TDS can be 2,000 mg per litre instead of the current limit of 500 if no alternative source of water is available" the former chief minister told reporters here.

He said by tweaking other parameters on the water purity, the state government is playing with the health of over four crore people who are getting government water supply.

Referring to the Board's recent announcement that bacterial contamination was found in the Narmada water, Mehta said no concrete step has been taken to correct this.

"Water from the Narmada project is supplied to over four crore people in the state. The Board had recently found bacterial contamination in the water. The Board also said that they have found Sulfate. However, instead of removing such impurities from the water before supplying it to people, the Board just advised people to purify it before drinking," he alleged.