NHRC seeks report from Bihar govt on groundwater contamination

New Delhi [India], March 5 : National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday took suo motu cognizance of a media report referring to the recent Bihar Economic Survey 2021-22 that in 31 of 38 districts of the State the groundwater is contaminated with Arsenic, Fluoride and excessive Iron.
According to NHRC, the report also revealed that the groundwater in 30,272 rural wards is chemically contaminated. As many as 4,742 rural wards of 14 districts situated along the Ganges are particularly affected by arsenic, 3,791 rural wards of 11 districts are affected by fluoride and nine Koshi basin districts and a few areas in other districts have excessive iron.
The Commission observed that matter raise a serious issue of human rights violation.
"The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation," said NHRC.
NHRC said the contents of report may be causing serious health hazards including, among others, liver and kidney related problems. According to the media report, in all these districts, the rural areas, in particular, are more impacted.
NHRC issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, Government of Bihar seeking a report within six weeks.
The Commission said the report should include safety measures taken to provide potable water in those districts and also the implementation of the scheme under "Har-Ghar-Jal-Nal-Yojana". The Commission has also asked the State Pollution Control Board to submit a report on the random sampling of groundwater.