Bihar report reveals ‘unsafe’ groundwater in over 30,000 rural wards
Public Lokpal
March 16, 2025
Bihar report reveals ‘unsafe’ groundwater in over 30,000 rural wards
Patna : Bihar is grappling with severe groundwater contamination, with 30,207 rural wards exposed to “unsafe” drinking water that poses serious health risks, according to a new report.
The report, which was recently tabled in the Assembly as part of the Bihar Economic Survey (2024-25), highlighted the presence of arsenic in groundwater in 4,709 such wards, fluoride in 3,789 wards and iron in 21,709 wards.
“Around 26 per cent of the rural wards in 31 districts, out of a total of 38, have groundwater sources affected by arsenic, fluoride and iron contamination beyond permissible limits,” the state’s Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) said in the study.
The affected wards are located in Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Lakhisarai, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagara, Munger, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Nalanda, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Jamui, Banka, Supaul, Madhepura, Saharsa, Araria and Kishanganj districts.
“We are aware of the fact... sensing the gravity of the situation, the state government has decided to make rural Bihar ‘hand pump-free’ and provide safe drinking water to people in the rural areas under the ‘Har Ghar Nal ka Jal’ scheme,” PHED minister Niraj Kumar Singh told PTI.
The government is also implementing schemes to improve water quality in the state, he said.
“The state government is already working on a plan to use river water for drinking purposes. In September 2024, chief minister Nitish Kumar laid the foundation stone of a ₹1,347 crore project for the supply of water from the Son river for drinking purposes in Aurangabad, Dehri and Sasaram cities after necessary treatment,” the minister said.
PTI
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