Govt insensitive to groundwater pollution, says SP MP Ramjilal Suman

Agra:Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramjilal Suman on Monday accused the govt of being insensitive to groundwater pollution, alleging it was endangering lives due to the absence of an effective policy to tackle contaminated water.Raising the issue in the Upper House, Suman said the govt lacked accurate data on groundwater quality, adding that its claim that much of India's groundwater is potable was "nothing short of a joke".Citing a UN report, he said India ranks 120th among 122 countries in water quality. The SP MP said that 85% of the country's drinking water comes from groundwater, nearly 70% of which is polluted.Suman said contaminated water causes 21% of serious diseases and nearly two lakh deaths annually.Suman also said Sangam water during the recent Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj was unfit even for bathing and questioned claims about 69,000 ‘Amrit Sarovars', alleging many had dried up or turned into dumping grounds.