Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday expressed deep concern over uranium contamination in drinking water being supplied to households in some villages of Karnataka and said it “a matter of concern”.
Mr. Shekhawat was in the city for a regional conference of Ministers to review Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SBM-G).
Uranium contamination in water has been reported from villages of Kolar and Chikkballapur. “It has come to our knowledge that in the eastern part of Karnataka, some villages have identified uranium contamination. It is a matter of serious concern. I have instructed that this should be addressed immediately so that people are not forced to consume contaminated water,” he told reporters.
He said: “The Ministry had come to know that there are 86 fluoride affected habitations in Andhra Pradesh and 52 in Madhya Pradesh which deserve immediate remedial action.”
Earlier, Mr. Shekhawat said the Centre had accorded priority to JJM and SBM(G) and allocated ₹20,487.58 crore and ₹1,355.13 crore, respectively, for six States and UT of Puducherry in 2021-22.
Under the 15th Finance Commission, ₹7,498 crore had been allocated as tied-grant to six States, he said, in his address at the Southern States’ Conclave of JJM and SBM(G) projects here.
Representatives from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and two UTs of Puducherry and Lakshadweep, participated in the event.
During the meet, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stressed the need for amending the Inter-State Water Disputes Act to claim the State’s rights over its share of river water and inter-State river-linking projects in Cauvery and Krishna basins.
Karnataka has locked horns with Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Goa when it comes to inter-State river water disputes.
The Inter-State Water Disputes Act should be amended to overcome the narrow political considerations over water disputes and making more water available for the people. The river basin management was the only solution for this, Mr. Bommai said.
