How contaminated is India's ground water? Govt data is alarming

Arsenic has been found in the ground water in parts of 209 districts in 25 states and Union territories, while uranium has been found in parts of 152 districts across 18 states, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu gave data that showed lead has been found in parts of 176 districts in 21 states, iron in parts of 491 districts in 29 states and Union territories, cadmium in parts of 29 districts in 11 states and chromium in parts of 62 districts in 16 states.

According to the data, arsenic has been found in water in parts of 209 districts in 25 states and Union territories, while uranium has been found in parts of 152 districts across 18 states.

Also, there are 14,079 iron-affected, 671 fluoride-affected, 814 arsenic-affected, 9,930 salinity-affected, 517 nitrate-affected and 111 heavy metal-affected habitations in the country, the data showed.

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In a written reply to another question in the Upper House, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel said of the 10,182 samples collected and tested at the quality control laboratories of the Delhi Jal Board in south Delhi since May, the percentage of the samples found unsatisfactory ranges from 1.95 to 2.99, which is well within the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water quality.

"Action is initiated as per standard operating procedure to stop contamination, if any. There is no proposal for constitution of any expert committee in this matter," Patel said.