The UP government informed the Assembly on Tuesday that the government was committed to providing piped drinking water facility in rural areas of the state by 2022.
Rural Development Minister Dr Mahendra Singh said in the Assembly during Question Hour that a Rs 9,000-crore project had been taken up in Bundelkhand region and work on it would commence in September next to have piped drinking facility in every village. Singh said that in order to control excess pumping of underground water, the government had become strict and directed all new buildings in the state to have groundwater recharging facilities.
Replying to a question by Congress member Aditi Singh, the minister shifted the blame on the previous government saying it did nothing in this sector when the situation was becoming critical.
Besides, Singh said that 113 blocks in the state were in the dark zone in regrads to underground water in which 59 blocks were in critical stage and 45 semi-critical.
“There are 1,444 villages in 20 districts where water is contaminated with Arsenic and in 2386 villages in 53 districts, water is affected by fluoride,” the minister said claiming that the government was taking all preventive measures to provide clean drinking water to people.
Aditi Singh said that the government had made a tall claim earlier but still Niti Ayog had given a critical report on groundwater saying that 50 per cent of the population would not get groundwater by 2040.
