Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a)        the number of deaths caused due to contaminated water and poor sanitation and hygiene conditions in the country during the last three years ending 31.03.2008;

(b)        the targets fixed in the Millennium Development Goals for safe drinking water and sanitation, and the extent to which such targets have been achieved so far, and

(c)        the steps proposed by Government to address the problems of unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. PANABAKA LAKSHMI)

(a)        Consumption of contaminated drinking water and lack of adequate sanitation facilities increase the risk of diseases like diarrhea, cholera, typhoid (enteric fever), hepatitis, worm infestations etc. As per the information furnished by Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), the total number of deaths caused due to contaminated water and poor sanitation in the country during the years 2005-2007 are given below:

Year                            Number of Deaths

2005                           3290

2006                           4531

2007                            3850

(b) & (c) The United Nations General Assembly has adopted eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to reduce poverty and increase health and well-being of all people. The targets fixed in MDG for safe drinking water and sanitation is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The target, as worked out from MDG for sanitation coverage in rural areas is 55% coverage by the year 2015. The Millennium Development Goals Report, 2007 of Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation indicates that by the year 2006, the rural sanitation coverage is estimated to be 39.25%. The report also indicates that as per data available on 01.04.2006, 91% of the habitations in the country have access to safe source of drinking water, about 2.8% are partially covered, less than 0.2% are yet to be covered and 6% habitations with problems of water quality to be tackled.

The Government of India supplements the efforts of the State Governments/Union Territories by providing funds under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP), Accelerated Urban Water Supply Programme, Total Sanitation Campaign, School Sanitation & Hygiene education and Low cost sanitation scheme for tackling quality related problems in respect of drinking water supply and sanitation facilities. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is also focused on basic health care delivery systems through a synergistic approach focusing on sanitation, water, nutrition and health care.