Latest news with #2024AnnualGroundwaterQualityReport
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
India's toxic taps: how groundwater contamination is fuelling chronic illnesses
Despite India's rivers and seasonal monsoons, it is groundwater that sustains most of the nation's domestic and agricultural needs. Over 85% of rural drinking water and 65% of irrigation water come from below the surface. However, the rapid and often unregulated extraction of this vital resource has triggered a growing yet largely invisible crisis: groundwater pollution. Once considered nature's purest reserve, groundwater is now contaminated with nitrates, heavy metals, industrial toxins, and pathogenic microbes—posing a silent but grave threat to millions. The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) reveals alarming findings. More than 20% of samples from 440 districts were contaminated with nitrates, largely due to the overuse of chemical fertilisers and leaching from septic systems. Excessive fluoride was detected in over 9% of samples, causing widespread dental and skeletal fluorosis—particularly in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Arsenic levels in parts of Punjab and Bihar far exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 10 µg/L, increasing the risk of cancer and neurological disorders. Districts in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan reported uranium concentrations above 100 ppb—attributed to phosphate fertilisers and unregulated groundwater withdrawal. Over 13% of tested samples also exceeded safe limits for iron, contributing to gastrointestinal and developmental disorders. These figures are not mere statistics—they reflect systemic neglect and policy inertia. Also Read: Water woes: On the state of India's groundwater Groundwater death zones In Budhpur, Baghpat (Uttar Pradesh), 13 people died within a fortnight this year, from kidney failure and related complications—allegedly linked to toxic discharges from nearby paper and sugar mills contaminating local borewells. In Jalaun, residents reported petroleum-like fluids from handpumps due to suspected underground fuel leaks. In Paikarapur, Bhubaneswar, sewage seepage from a faulty treatment plant led to the mass illness of hundreds. These are not isolated incidents. These events reveal a disturbing pattern of weak enforcement, institutional apathy, and the public invisibility of a growing underground disaster. Health impacts: what data reveals Groundwater contamination in India has escalated into a national public health crisis. Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and WHO India have documented widespread health consequences due to toxic substances in drinking water. Fluoride contamination affects 230 districts across 20 states. Around 66 million people suffer from skeletal fluorosis—a debilitating condition that causes joint pain, bone deformities, and stunted growth, particularly in children. In Rajasthan, over 11,000 villages have reported cases. In Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh), fluoride levels exceed 5 mg/L, with 40% of tribal children affected. Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) has recorded over 3,000 skeletal deformity cases. The 2024 CGWB report found that 9.04% of 15,259 samples groundwater samples exceeded the WHO's 1.5 mg/L fluoride limit. Sonebhadra (U.P.) reported a 52.3% prevalence rate, and levels in Shivpuri (M.P.) reached 2.92 mg/L. Effective interventions include defluoridation, improved nutrition, and provision of safe drinking water. Arsenic exposure is concentrated in the Gangetic belt—including West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Assam—and leads to skin lesions, gangrene, respiratory problems, and various internal cancers. A study conducted in Bihar, published in Nature Scientific Reports in 2021, reveals that elevated blood arsenic levels make 1 in 100 individuals highly vulnerable to cancer, including cancers of the skin, kidney, liver, bladder, and lungs, as well as other secondary cancer types. In Ballia (U.P.), arsenic concentrations reached 200 µg/L—20 times the WHO limit— linked to over 10,000 cases of cancer and other diseases. In Bihar's Bhojpur and Buxar districts, similar impacts have been observed. While arsenic is geogenic, its mobilisation is worsened by groundwater over-extraction, mining, and irrigation. The 2024 CGWB report identified unsafe arsenic levels in 29 districts of U.P., with Bagpat recording 40 mg/L—4,000 times above the safe threshold. Nitrate contamination is rampant in northern India and poses a severe threat to infants. When baby formula is mixed with nitrate-laced water, it can cause 'blue baby syndrome' (methemoglobinemia). The 2023 National Health Profile recorded a 28% rise in hospital admissions from acute nitrate toxicity over five years, particularly in Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka. Today, 56% of Indian districts exceed safe nitrate levels. Uranium, once confined to select geological zones, is increasingly detected due to excessive groundwater extraction and fertiliser use. A study by the Central University of Punjab in the Malwa region found uranium levels in groundwater exceeding the WHO threshold of 30 µg/L, posing serious risks of chronic organ damage and nephrotoxicity. The results showed that 66% of samples posed health risks for children and 44% for adults. Heavy metals—lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury—enter groundwater from unchecked industrial discharges, causing developmental delays, anaemia, immune system issues, and neurological damage. The ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH) found dangerously high blood lead levels among children near industrial clusters in Kanpur (U.P.) and Vapi (Gujarat). Contamination from leaking septic systems and sewage infiltration has triggered repeated outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis A and E. In Paikarapur, Bhubaneswar, over 500 residents were recently affected by a waterborne disease outbreak tied to sewage-contaminated groundwater. Why the crisis persists The crisis is rooted in a fragmented regulatory system. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, scarcely addresses groundwater. The CGWB lacks statutory authority, and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) are under-resourced and technically constrained. Industries operate with minimal oversight, and sanitation infrastructure, especially in rural and peri-urban India, remains deficient. Also Read: Death by contamination: On Indian cities and unsafe drinking water Key structural issues include: Institutional fragmentation: Agencies such as CGWB, CPCB, SPCBs, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti operate in silos, often duplicating efforts and lacking coordination for integrated, science-based interventions. Weak legal enforcement: While the Water Act exists, its enforcement—especially on groundwater discharge—is inadequate. Regulatory loopholes and lax compliance embolden polluters. Lack of real-rime, publicly-accessible data: Monitoring is infrequent and poorly disseminated. Without early warning systems or integration with public health surveillance, contamination often goes undetected until after serious health outcomes emerge. Over-extraction:Excessive pumping lowers water tables and concentrates pollutants, making aquifers more vulnerable to geogenic toxins and salinity intrusion. What needs to change India's groundwater crisis calls for a bold, coordinated, and multi-dimensional strategy that integrates regulation, technology, health, and public participation. Key reforms include: A National Groundwater Pollution Control Framework: Clearly define responsibilities across agencies and empower the CGWB with regulatory authority. Modernized monitoring infrastructure: Use real-time sensors, remote sensing, and open-access platforms. Integrate water quality data with health surveillance systems like HMIS for early detection. Targeted remediation and health interventions: Install community-level arsenic and fluoride removal systems, especially in high-risk regions. Expand piped water access and awareness campaigns. Urban and industrial waste reforms: Mandate Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), regulate landfills strictly, and enforce penalties for illegal discharges. Agrochemical reform: Promote organic farming, regulate fertiliser and pesticide use, and encourage balanced nutrient management. Citizen-Centric groundwater governance: Strengthen the role of panchayats, water user groups, and school programmes in water testing, monitoring, and advocacy. The water below, and within India's groundwater crisis is no longer about quantity—it is about safety and survival. With over 600 million people depending on it every day, this is a public health emergency, not just an environmental issue. As India aspires to become a $5 trillion economy, millions remain deprived of the most essential resource: clean water. Groundwater pollution is silent, invisible, and slow—but its damage is irreversible. Unless urgent, collective action is taken, we risk learning the value of clean water only when the well runs dry. And in doing so, we will pay the price not in rupees, but in lives and lost futures. (Dr. Sudheer Kumar Shukla is an environmental scientist and sustainability expert. He currently serves as head-think tank at Mobius Foundation, New Delhi. sshukla@ )
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
India is grappling with a water crisis. It must act now
India is grappling with a water crisis that threatens its economic stability, food security, and public health. With 18 per cent of the world's population but only 4 per cent of its freshwater resources, India faces severe water stress, intensified by the relentless impacts of climate change. The NITI Aayog's 2018 Composite Water Management Index warned that 600 million Indians experience high to extreme water stress, and by 2030, water demand could outstrip supply by twofold. The World Resources Institute ranks India 13th among the 17 most water-stressed nations globally, with groundwater levels depleting at an alarming rate — over 60 per cent of irrigated agriculture and 85 per cent of drinking water depend on it. The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report revealed that 70 per cent of India's water sources are contaminated, posing risks to health and livelihoods. Why, then, do we continue with fragmented policies and half-hearted measures when water is the lifeblood of our nation's progress? Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present-day crisis reshaping India's water landscape. Erratic monsoons, critical to 55 per cent of India's agriculture, have become increasingly unpredictable. A 2024 Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study found that 55 per cent of tehsils experienced a 10 per cent increase in heavy rainfall over the past decade, triggering floods that devastate crops and infrastructure. Conversely, 33 per cent of India's land is drought-prone, with soil moisture declining in 48 per cent of its geographical area, as per a 2024 Conscious Planet study. Rising temperatures accelerate glacial melt in the Himalayas, threatening the long-term flow of rivers like the Ganga and Indus, which sustain millions. The World Bank projects that climate-induced water scarcity could reduce India's GDP by up to 12 per cent by 2050, potentially resulting in billions of dollars in economic losses. Agriculture, consuming 80 per cent of India's water, is particularly vulnerable to these shifts. The Economic Survey 2018-19 highlighted that a 100mm drop in rainfall reduces farmer incomes by 15 per cent during kharif and 7 per cent during rabi seasons. Climate change could further erode agricultural incomes by 15-18 per cent on average, and up to 25 per cent in unirrigated areas, which cover nearly half of India's farmland. Yet, inefficient irrigation practices and water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane dominate. Micro-irrigation, which could save up to 50 per cent of water, is used on only 9 per cent of cultivated land despite government subsidies. The Atal Bhujal Yojana, a World Bank-backed initiative, promotes community-led groundwater management in seven water-stressed states, covering 8,000 gram panchayats. While promising, its scale is dwarfed by the crisis. Urban India faces its own water woes. Cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi have become symbols of urban water distress. The 2019 Chennai water crisis, when reservoirs dried up, left millions scrambling for water. NITI Aayog predicts that 21 cities, impacting 100 million people, could exhaust groundwater by 2030. Public health is another casualty of water insecurity. Contaminated water, with 70 per cent of sources polluted, claims 2,00,000 lives annually from waterborne diseases, as per NITI Aayog's 2018 data. Fluoride and arsenic contamination affect 230 million people across 19 states, while untreated sewage pollutes rivers like the Yamuna, rendering them unfit for use. The World Bank's 'One Health' framework, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, could save billions annually by reducing disease burdens. Yet, its implementation remains sluggish. Building climate resilience demands bold, integrated action. The National Water Mission aims to boost water use efficiency by 20 per cent by 2025, but lacks robust baseline data to track progress. Water accounting, as proposed by CEEW, could quantify savings and redirect water to critical sectors. Financial tools like climate bonds and India's Green Credit Programme, launched in 2023, could bridge the adaptation funding gap, which was a mere ₹260 per capita in 2019-20 compared to ₹2,200 for mitigation. The World Bank's $1 billion dam rehabilitation program, modernising 300 large dams, and the Asian Development Bank's $50 million loan for water-harvesting in Meghalaya are steps forward. However, the global water financing gap, estimated at $6.7 trillion by 2030, requires private sector involvement, as seen in countries like Chile and Peru. Community participation is the cornerstone of sustainable water management. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan's push for rainwater harvesting has revived 1,50,000 water bodies since 2019, but awareness and local engagement remain low. Women, who often bear the burden of fetching water, must be central to decision-making. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), combining nature-based solutions like wetland restoration with technologies like real-time water monitoring, could ensure equitable access. Aligning water, energy, and climate policies is critical to avoid siloed approaches. For instance, solar-powered irrigation could reduce groundwater overuse while cutting carbon emissions. India's water crisis is a clarion call for systemic change. A water-secure economy is the foundation of climate resilience, safeguarding agriculture, urban growth, and public health. The question is not whether we have the tools to act, but whether we have the will to act swiftly and decisively. With 1.4 billion futures at stake, delay is not an option. The writer is Special Advisor for South Asia at Parley Policy Initiative, Republic of Korea
