Government auditor CAG has rapped Haryana government for “high percentage” of unfit water samples, saying it indicates supply of poor quality which results in high incidences of water-borne diseases.
A laboratory in Karnal tested 15,481 samples from 2010 to 2014. Out of these, 9,663 samples were found fit for human consumption while 5,818 samples (38 per cent) were found unfit, the latest CAG report said.
In eight districts including Ambala, Hissar and Kaithal, out of 57,900 samples checked, 6,251 samples (11 per cent) were found unfit for human consumption.
In four districts such as Ambala and Kaithal, 1,210 cases of diarrhoea, 176 cases of jaundice and 53 cases of enteric fever were noticed due to consumption of contaminated water during 2010-15, the report said.
“The high percentage of unfit samples indicated supply of poor quality of water which resulted in high incidence of water borne diseases. Thus, there was an urgent need to bring about improvement in the quality of water supply for human consumption,” the CAG report said.
CAG said it did not find evidence of a systematic selection of samples which would ensure covering of all sources for chemical and bacteriological examination by rotation.
“Records also did not provide any evidence of an institutionalised and proper mechanism for follow up action on the failed water samples, thus indicating poor monitoring of one of the most important aspects of providing potable water,” it further said.
In its latest report on audit of social, economic and general sectors for 2014-15, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) observed that there was an urgent need to bring about improvement in the quality of water supply for human consumption.
As per guidelines of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), a target of 3,500 water samples for testing at sources was fixed, which was revised to 3,000 samples from 2014-15, the report said.
As per instructions of the Centre, it was desirable that each source should be tested at least once a year for chemical contamination and 2-4 times for bacteriological contamination to ensure that the drinking water was potable.
As against the target of testing 2,19,000 samples, only 1,08,593 samples (50 per cent) were tested during 2010-15. The shortfall in testing of samples was 50 per cent.
The department attributed the shortfall in water samples is due to shortage of staff for collection of water samples and shortage of chemists in laboratories.
Further, out of the samples tested, water in 13,944 samples (13 per cent) was found unfit for human consumption. -- PTI
