 bill no viii of 2017 thearsen[c contaminatlon (prevention) bill, 2017 a billto provide for effec1jve regulafion of the /en:/ of ani:nic in �roun i wau·r anj idemification of the risk areas of anenic conta111inatlon fur11111/atc a 111jtional policy for mitigating and preventing arsenic contw111ml(io11 in food"'"' drinaing water in the country for the overall wrlfare, care and protcc1iu11 of th� ,:iti:cns and for mailers co11nec1ed 1herc'111ith and incidmtol thereto be it enacted by p�rliament in the sixty-eighth \'eu of the republic of india as follows:-)(,) this act may be called the arsenic contamination (prevention) act, 2017 (ii) it extends to the whole oflndiashort tillc, extent and commcnccmcnl s (iii) lt shall come into force on such date ns tt"e central government may, bynotification in the official gazene, appoint 2 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires:-definitions (a) "arsenic" means the natural chemical element which has eroded from the himalayas and deposited near the foothills of himalayas in lndo-gangetic plain (b) "authority" means the national arsenic contamination prevention authority established under section 4 (c) "ground water" means naturally occurring water found below the surface in the saturated zone which can be extracted by digging wells, bores, etc 5 (d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act;national policy for prevention of arsenic contamination 10 3 notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, t�e central government shall as soon as may be after the commencement of the act and m consultation with the government of the states formulate a national policy for mitigating and preventing arsenic contamination in food and ground water in the country for the overall welfare, care and protection of the citizens 4 (/) the central government shall, as soon as may be, by notification in the official gazette, establish an authority to be called the national arsenic contamination preyention authority for the purposes of this act establishment of national arsenic contamination prevention authority 15 (2) the head office of the authority shall be at new delhi and the authority may establish offices at other places in the states and union territories as it may deem necessary for carrying out the purposes of this act (j) the authority shall consist of the following members who shall be appointed by the central government, namely:-(a) a chairperson, who shall he an expert scientist ha,·ing adequate knowledgeand professional experience in the prevention of arsenic pollution; 2 o (b) one deputy chairperson with such qualifications as may be prescribed;(c) five members of parliament of whom two shall be from raj ya sabha and·three from lok sabha to be nominated by the respecli\ e presiding officers of t he t\,o houses;(cf) five members, one each to represent the union �tinistries of drinking 25 water and sanitation, environment, forest and clim:ite cb:1nge, hen ith and family welfare,agriculture and farm en wclfa re and punchayati raj n-specti, el); (e) four members to rcprcsent the non-gu, cmment:ll org:rnis�tions "orking for prevention of arsenic pollution in food and gruunli ":1tl'r:(f) four members to be nominall'li by the go\ ernments of the slates to be rotated joamongst the states in alphabetical onju (4) the authority shall be :t bolly _·urporttl' hy the n:1me ufores:1ili haying perpetual succession and common scat with poncr to acquin•, hold unii li is pose of property both movable and immovable and to contract und �hall b) the said name sue and be sued (5) the salary 111111 allowances pa)t1ble io chairperson, deputy chairperson and 35members, terms of officl' of thc chnirpcrson, dl'puty chairperson and members of the authority and the prorc'<lure to be followt'tl in thc llisch:ll'l!e of the functions orthe authority shall be such, as may be prl'scribed (6) the authority shall ha,·c a secretariat with such number of officers and staff as may be prescribed 40 (7) the salary and allowances payable to, and other terms and conditions of the officers and staffofthe authority as may be prescribed  functions or thi: authority  5 (/) subject to any guidelines issueli by the centril government under the provisions o�th1s act, the aut�o_rn� shall perfonn and undertake such special steps in close coordination with concerned mm1srnes departments of the central and state go-ernment 10 er · 1 45- · - 11-1mma e arsenic contammat1on and to a lord 1he arsenic free drinkin" ,\'ater and �ood t  � o everyone throughout the country as 11 may deem necessary and expedient under the act9 the provisions of this act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being applicable to the subject matter of this act act to supplement other laws power to make rules io the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules to carry out the provisions of this act 