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| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Economic Survey has noted significant strides in urban sanitation and water supply with tap water coverage increasing to 70% and sewerage coverage rising to 62% in Indian cities.

The Survey, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday (January 31, 2025), said the AMRUT scheme, launched in 2015 to focus on improving urban water management in 500 cities, had created or augmented water treatment capacity of 4,649 million litres per day and developed 2,439 parks, adding 5,070 acres of green space.

Economic Survey 2024-25 LIVE

In 2021, AMRUT 2.0 was introduced to expand coverage to all statutory towns and cities, with an allocation of ₹2.77 lakh crore during FY22 to FY26. This phase so far had initiated 8,923 projects worth ₹1.89 lakh crore. AMRUT 2.0 actively involves Self-Help Groups and promotes innovative technologies.

The Survey also noted how the Google toilet locator, which allows users to upload information about community and public toilets in their cities on Google Maps, has mapped 67,407 toilets across 3,326 cities till date, including those in hospitals, malls, bus stands, railway stations, metro stations, markets, and more.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), launched in 2015, has sanctioned 1.18 crore houses, with 89 lakh completed as of November 2024. PMAY-U 2.0 aims to assist 1 crore more households, while the Smart Cities Mission has 7,479 projects worth ₹1.50 lakh crore completed, including 35,000+ affordable housing units, 1,700 km of smart roads, and 16 lakh LED streetlights.

Significant strides

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Survey reaffirmed the significant strides taken in strengthening urban infrastructure.

“The expansion of metro rail networks crossing the 1000 km of network length has greatly enhanced urban mobility, making cities more accessible and efficient. Additionally, the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan have played a transformative role in improving sanitation and cleanliness across the country. These efforts are key to realising the vision of Viksit Bharat, ensuring modern, sustainable, and well-connected infrastructure for every citizen,” he said in a statement.

With a continued focus on smart urban planning, enhanced public transportation, and sustainable development, the government remains committed to building a future-ready infrastructure ecosystem that supports economic growth and improves the quality of life for all, he added.

A recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Milan, Italy, has killed at least four people and hospitalised several dozen more, according to The Metro. The health authorities say that at least 53 cases have been confirmed in two regions inside the Milan metropolitan area of a severe lung infection.

In response, local authorities are taking urgent measures to control the situation, including deploying chemicals to disinfect the city’s water supply. However, despite extensive testing of water supply systems in private residences and cooling towers, the exact source of the outbreak remains unidentified, according to the news report.

The continuous investigation of finding the source of infection has left the city in great suspense, and sensitivity has developed regarding what efforts should be present to prevent further cases.

What is Legionnaires’ disease?

According to a Washington Post report, Legionnaires’ is a serious form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella. The pathogen can also cause Pontiac fever, a flu-like illness considered to be a less serious disease.

The bacteria was first discovered decades ago when a mysterious illness sickened dozens attending a 1976 convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. In that outbreak, 221 people were infected, and 34 died.

The disease initially alarmed health officials, who feared the sickness might spread beyond the conferencegoers. Ultimately, scientists found the bacteria bred in the water of a cooling tower of the air-conditioning system at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, where the conference was being held.

How does Legionnaires’ disease spread?

Legionella grow in biofilms lining water pipes, pipes that lead to showers, drinking faucets, and HVAC systems for cooling, said Panagis Galiatsatos, an associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Centre at Johns Hopkins University.

Legionella can even grow in the tanks that hold windscreen wiper fluid in a car, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

People can become infected by breathing in mist or swallowing water into the lungs that’s contaminated with the bacteria. “Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella,” a CDC spokeswoman said Tuesday.