Over 15,000 habitations affected due to water contaminated by Uranium: Drinking Water ministry

Over 15,000 habitations have been affected due to water contaminated by Arsenic and 400 by Uranium, the Rajya Sabha was informed Monday.

Minister of State for drinking water and sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi said out of 15,804 habitations affected due to water contaminated by Arsenic, as many as 9,250 habitations were found in West Bengal and 4,320 in Assam.

Over 400 habitations have been affected with water contaminated with Uranium, he said.

Calling rural drinking water supply a state subject, Jigajinagi said the state governments have to plan, design, approve, execute, operate and maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population.

"The funds provided to states under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) can be utilised for providing safe drinking water to water quality affected population of the country," he said.

In reply to a separate question, he said 330 districts across the country have been affected by water contaminated by Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron, Salinity, Nitrate and heavy metal.