NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Bihar government over reports that groundwater is contaminated with chemicals in 31 of its 38 districts, officials said on Friday.
In a statement, the NHRC said, it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report quoting the recent Bihar Economic Survey report 2021-22, tabled in the state Assembly.
The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violation.
Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and secretary, public health engineering department, Bihar government, seeking a report within six weeks.
According to the report, in 31 of the 38 districts of the state, the "groundwater is contaminated with arsenic, fluoride and excessive iron".
These may be causing serious health hazards, including, problems related to the liver and kidneys.
According to the media report, in all these districts, the rural areas, in particular, are more impacted, the statement said.
The report has sought safety measures taken to provide potable water in those districts, and also the implementation of the scheme under 'Har-Ghar-Jal-Nal-Yojana'.
The Commission has also asked the Bihar State Pollution Control Board to submit the report on the random sampling of groundwater, it said.
The media report, carried on March 3, also revealed that the groundwater in 30,272 rural wards is "chemically contaminated".
And, 4,742 rural wards in 14 districts situated along the Ganges are particularly affected by arsenic, 3,791 rural wards in 11 districts are affected by fluoride, and nine Koshi basin districts and a few areas in other districts have excessive iron, it added.