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About CGWB:
- Established: 1970, functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Mandate: Monitor, assess, and manage groundwater resources.
- Limitation: Functions as a technical body with no statutory enforcement powers under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Key Facts from CGWB Report:
Parameter | Extent of Contamination | Primary Sources of Pollution | Health/Environmental Impact |
Nitrates | >20% of samples from 440 districts | Overuse of chemical fertilisers, leaching from septic systems | Blue baby syndrome, gastrointestinal issues |
Fluoride | 9.04% of 15,259 samples; 230 districts affected; 66 million people impacted | Geogenic (naturally occurring), aggravated by over-extraction | Skeletal/dental fluorosis, bone deformities |
Arsenic | Levels up to 200 μg/L in Ballia (UP) vs WHO limit 10 μg/L; 29 UP districts unsafe | Geogenic sources, worsened by groundwater over-extraction, mining, and irrigation | Cancer, skin lesions, neurological disorders |
Uranium | Above 30 μg/L in Malwa region; 66% samples unsafe for children | Use of phosphate fertilisers, excessive groundwater withdrawal | Kidney damage, chronic organ disorders |
Iron & Heavy metals | >13% of samples exceed safe limits; high in Kanpur & Vapi industrial clusters | Industrial discharges, mining, corrosion of pipelines | Anaemia, developmental delays, immune and nerve damage |
Dependence on groundwater | 85% rural drinking water, 65% irrigation | Excessive pumping for agriculture and domestic use | Over-extraction worsens contamination |
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Major Causes:
- Overuse of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
- Industrial discharge and mining activities.
- Over-extraction lowering water tables and mobilising toxins.
- Leakage from septic tanks and poor sewage systems.
- Weak enforcement and fragmented governance.
Recent Incidents:
- Baghpat (UP) – 13 deaths from kidney failure due to toxic borewell water.
- Jalaun (UP) – Petroleum-like fluid in hand pumps from underground leaks.
- Paikarapur (Odisha) – 500+ residents sickened due to sewage-contaminated groundwater.
Way Forward:
- National Groundwater Pollution Control Framework – unified action by CGWB, CPCB, SPCBs, and health agencies.
- Strengthen Legal Powers – Empower CGWB with statutory authority and stricter industrial compliance.
- Real-time Monitoring & Public Access – GIS mapping, early warning systems, open data portals.
- Targeted Remediation – defluoridation units, arsenic removal, provision of safe drinking water in high-risk areas.
- Reduce Over-extraction – water-efficient irrigation, rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge.
Why in News?
- Â The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report by the (CGWB reveals alarming contamination in aquifers across India, with high levels of nitrates, fluoride, arsenic, uranium, and heavy metals.
