Testing of drinking water in western UP in limbo

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) Testing of drinking water samples,as directed by the National Green Tribunal, in six westerndistricts of Uttar Pradesh is in a limbo with pollutioncontrol authorities and the administration blaming each other. The green panel had directed the Uttar Pradesh governmentand state pollution control board to inspect the quality ofdrinking water in villages of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Meerut,Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Saharanpur districts and file statusreport. However, the district magistrate of Muzaffarnagar, in aaffidavit told the NGT that drinking water of hand pumpscontains toxic metals and analysis was not possible in thelaboratory of Jal Nigam and the cost of water samples fromprivate labs would be around Rs 164.479 lakh. Therefore, the analysis of water may be directed to bedone in the laboratory of Uttar Pradesh Pollution ControlBoard, the DM has said. He also submitted that providing safe drinking water tothe villagers through pipeline under the National DrinkingWater Programme Mission would cost approximately Rs 8209.59lakh. "Detailed project report of drinking water supply throughpipelines in these villages is under progress and would besubmitted to the government of Uttar Pradesh for sanction offunds," he said. In contrast to the above submission, Uttar PradeshPollution Control Board (UPPCB) said testing of water of handpumps or tubewells is done by UP Jal Nigam and UPPCB is notrequired under Water Act of Environment (Protection) to testthe drinking water. "UP Jal Nigam is responsible for preparation, executionpromotion and financing the scheme for supply of water and ithas been entrusted duties to supply water which hasestablished its own laboratories for testing of potablewater," UPPCB said in an affidavit filed in response to a pleahighlighting water problem in the area. The matter is listed for hearing on September 7. The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by scientist CV Singh, through advocate Gaurav Bansal, who had claimed thatfarmers and poor villagers were facing health hazards as theywere forced to drink highly-contaminated ground water in thesesix districts. PTI PKS ZMNAAR