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2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report

2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report:

The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report by the Central Ground Water Board’s (CGWB) reveals widespread contamination of India’s groundwater.

  • With over 600 million Indians depending on groundwater daily this pollution has become a serious public health crisis, not just an environmental issue.

Causes for India’s Groundwater Contamination Crisis:

  • Unregulated discharge of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury) and toxic chemicals from industries pollutes groundwater.
  • Areas near industrial clusters like Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Vapi (Gujarat) have dangerously high groundwater toxicity, creating “death zones.” Toxic effluents have caused kidney failures.
  • Excessive use of nitrogen-rich fertilizers leads to nitrate pollution. Phosphate fertilizers contribute to uranium contamination in groundwater.
  • Leakage from septic tanks and sewage systems contaminates groundwater with pathogens. Faulty sewage treatment plants cause localized outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
  • Fluoride, arsenic, and uranium naturally occur in certain geological formations, especially in states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, and West Bengal.
  • Excessive pumping lowers water tables and concentrates pollutants, making aquifers more vulnerable to geogenic toxins and salinity intrusion.
  • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, largely overlooks groundwater, and its enforcement on groundwater pollution is inadequate, allowing polluters to exploit loopholes.
  • The CGWB lacks statutory authority, and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) are under-resourced and technically constrained.
  • Agencies like CGWB, CPCB, SPCBs, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti work in silos, duplicating efforts and lacking coordination for integrated action.
  • Poor Monitoring and Public Awareness: Data collection is infrequent and not publicly accessible, delaying detection and response.
  • Poor involvement of local communities and panchayats in monitoring and managing groundwater quality.