Chandigarh, February 12:
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has released its Annual Ground Water Quality Report-2024, raising serious concerns about water contamination in Punjab and Haryana. The report highlights dangerous levels of uranium, nitrates, arsenic, chloride, and fluoride in several districts, surpassing the safe limits for drinking water.
Rising Uranium Levels
According to the report, uranium contamination in groundwater has worsened in both states. In Punjab, 20 districts have recorded uranium levels exceeding the permissible limit of 30 parts per billion (ppb), while in Haryana, 16 districts are affected. This is an increase from 2019 when Punjab had 17 affected districts and Haryana had 18. Excess uranium in drinking water is linked to severe health issues, including kidney damage and urinary tract cancer.
Previously, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered an assessment of groundwater to evaluate risks from various toxic elements, including uranium.
Agricultural Practices and Groundwater Pollution
The report suggests that the high uranium concentration is largely due to leaching from agricultural fields, aggravated by the excessive use of chemical fertilisers. Many of the affected districts fall under overexploited, critical, or semi-critical groundwater stress zones. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also taken note of an IIT-Mandi study, which found that agricultural runoff is a major contributor to groundwater pollution in Punjab.
High Nitrate and Arsenic Levels
Beyond uranium, the report highlights alarming nitrate contamination. In Haryana, 14.56% of groundwater samples exceeded the permissible nitrate limit of 45 mg per litre, while in Punjab, 12.58% of samples failed the safety test. Excess nitrate in drinking water is a known cause of blue baby syndrome in infants.
Additionally, arsenic contamination has been found in 12 districts of Punjab and five districts of Haryana, with levels exceeding the safe threshold of 10 ppb. Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water is linked to serious health risks, including skin diseases and cancer.
With increasing contamination in groundwater sources, urgent measures are needed to address the health and environmental risks posed by unsafe drinking water in the region.
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