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Groundwater Contamination
The Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025, which was made public on Friday, has indicated that 13 to 15 per cent of the total collected water samples have uranium contamination. Released under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Central Ground Water Board's (CGWB) report is based on around 15,000 samples collected across India in 2024. It revealed that of the 86 monitored locations in Delhi, on several parameters, the samples exceeded Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) drinking water limits. "Overall, the study shows that while most groundwater in India is safe, certain regions face rising uranium levels, emphasising the need for regular monitoring and local mitigation measures to protect drinking water quality and health, the report said. It added that of the 83 total samples analysed, 24 were found to be exceeding uranium parameters, which is roughly around the range of 13.35 per cent and 15.66 per cent of the total samples collected. In its latest report on groundwater quality, sam
Bihar is grappling with severe groundwater contamination, with 30,207 rural wards exposed to "unsafe" drinking water that poses serious health risks, according to a new report. The report, which was recently tabled in the assembly as part of the Bihar Economic Survey (2024-25), highlighted the presence of arsenic in groundwater in 4,709 such wards, fluoride in 3,789 wards and iron in 21,709 wards. "Around 26 per cent of the rural wards in 31 districts, out of a total of 38, have groundwater sources affected by arsenic, fluoride and iron contamination beyond permissible limits," the state's Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) said in the study. The affected wards are located in Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Lakhisarai, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagara, Munger, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Nalanda, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Jamui, Banka, Supaul, Madhepura, Saharsa, Araria and Kishanganj districts. We are aware of the fact... ..
A parliamentary panel has raised concerns over water contamination issue in the country, highlighting that 11,348 habitations in 96 districts across seven states have not been provided with short-term measures for pollutants such as iron, nitrate, and heavy metals. In its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the Standing Committee on Water Resources has urged the Centre to take swift action to ensure safe drinking water in these vulnerable regions. The report further revealed that uranium contamination remains a pressing issue in Punjab, where 32 habitations across nine districts are affected. Despite interim measures in 22 of these areas, 10 habitations still await any mitigation efforts, it said. The committee has called for urgent and long-term interventions to safeguard public health. "The Committee notes that all arsenic and fluoride affected habitations have been covered by community water purification plants as an interim measure. However, they (panel) further observe th
Authorities in Kashmir have directed people not to directly consume spring water in Ganderbal district and rural areas of Srinagar after samples collected from 37 water bodies were found to contain harmful bacteria. In a notice issued on Wednesday, the Jal Shakti department said if at all spring water is to be used, it should be boiled. The warning comes in the backdrop of 17 deaths reported from Rajouri district due to a mysterious illness. "Jal Shakti (PHE) Rural Water Supply Division Ganderbal/Sgr carried out a massive drive of random sampling and testing of various springs across Ganderbal district, wherein it has been found that 37 out of 40 samples collected are bacteriologically positive... rendering those springs unfit for human consumption," the notice said. "Now, through the medium of this notice, the general public of district Ganderbal and rural Srinagar, where spring water is used for drinking purposes by locals..., are requested to refrain from using spring water for
Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Monday disclosed that 80 per cent of the suspected cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder, in Pune have been reported from areas located around a mega well in Nanded village on Sinhgad Road. Abitkar, who was in the city to review the GBS situation, noted that high number of cases in certain areas appears to be linked to suspected water contamination and assured the civic body is looking into the issue. After inspecting the water body in Nanded village, he stated, "80 per cent of cases are from areas around this well. The state health department and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) are taking necessary measures to address the issue." The well is source of water for villages located adjoining it. A man suspected to have contracted GBS has died in Maharashtra's Solapur district, while the number of cases of the immunological nerve disorder in Pune has crossed 100-mark, health officials said earlier in the
West Bengal and Bihar are impacted the most by arsenic contamination of groundwater, the Centre has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal is hearing the issue of rice being susceptible to arsenic contamination because it absorbs more of the toxic semi-metallic element from water and soil. Earlier, it sought a reply from the Centre on it. In an order dated December 16, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had filed its reply after seeking inputs from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). "States of West Bengal and Bihar are reported to be most affected by arsenic contamination of groundwater irrigation by contaminated groundwater is the major route for arsenic entry into agricultural soil which ultimately leads to its entry into the food chain," the Centre said in its reply. There can be a "significant build-up" of the toxic element in r
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a response from authorities, including the district magistrate of Greater Noida, in a matter regarding the supply of contaminated water to a housing society. The green panel had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a newspaper report, according to which water containing E coli bacteria and bleaching powder was recently supplied to Supertech Ecovillage 2 in Greater Noida West. Consumption of the contaminated water led to over 300 residents, including 170 children, falling ill. In its order dated October 1, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance of provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Environment Protection Act." The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, impleaded as parties or respondents the member secretaries of the Central Pollution ...
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday asserted that controlling chemical contamination in agricultural raw materials is essential for advancing the food industry. FSSAI executive director Inoshi Sharma said enforcing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in crops, fruits, and spices presents a significant challenge. Speaking at an event organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here, she stressed the need for regular audits and the rejection of non-compliant produce at farm gates. Sharma also underscored the importance of educating buyers about the detrimental effects of excessive pesticide use, which can lead to contamination in raw materials. She announced plans to form a committee with representatives from various ministries and departments to address this issue. Furthermore, Sharma emphasised the necessity for accurate labeling and the avoidance of misleading claims by Food Business Organizations (FBOs). She advocated for a culture of 'Self-Compliance' amo
Ninety three persons have suffered from stomach infections after apparently consuming contaminated water from a well at a village in Maharashtra's Nanded district, officials said on Monday. The Mugaon Tanda village, where the incident took place, has 107 houses with a population of 440, as per the officials. Ninety three persons approached a local health centre on June 26 and 27 with complaints of abdominal pain and loose motions, district health officer Balaji Shinde told PTI. While 56 patients were treated in the Mugaon Tanda village, 37 others were referred to a primary health centre in neighbouring Manjaram village and later discharged, he said. A team of doctors was stationed in the Mugaon Tanda village, the official said. "We conducted a survey and the possible source of infection was a well from where water is supplied to the villagers. The well has been sealed and water from a nearby filter plant is being made available to the villagers," he said.
Arsenic has been detected in groundwater in parts of 230 districts in 25 states and fluoride in 469 districts in 27 states, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. In a written reply, the minister said that the ground water contamination reported by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is mostly geogenic in nature and does not show significant change over the years. The CGWB under the Ministry of Jal Shakti conducts regular monitoring and assessment of groundwater quality including ground water contamination of Arsenic and Fluoride. The board has carried out various studies in collaboration with other institutions, he said. These studies indicate the occurrence of arsenic and fluoride in ground water beyond permissible limits -- set by the Bureau of Indian Standards -- for human consumption in isolated pockets in various states and Union Territories, he said. Arsenic has been reported in parts of 230 districts in 25 states and ...
President Joe Biden declared an emergency over lead-in-water contamination in the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this week after tests on St. Croix revealed levels more than 100 times the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency among the worst results a U.S. community has seen in decades. On a personal level, it's been frightening and frustrating, said resident Frandelle Gerard, executive director of Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc. Officials told residents to stop using their taps and began distributing bottled water. Lead can have devastating effects on childhood development, behaviour and IQ scores. But experts consulted by The Associated Press said the frightening results may be false because they came from testing that does not meet EPA standards. The data should be thrown into the garbage, said Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech lead and water expert who helped identify the lead problems in Flint, Michigan. If the information given to St. Croix residents turns ou