Groundwater Pollution:
A Parliamentary Standing Committee has raised serious concerns over groundwater contamination in 4,949 villages across 8 states, highlighting rising levels of heavy metals, fluoride, and nitrates.Groundwater pollution refers to the contamination of water stored in aquifers, wells, and underground water-bearing layers due to the presence of harmful chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens, and agricultural pollutants.
Key Data / Stats:
- 4,949 villages across Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura, and West Bengal reported chemical contamination.
- Rajasthan has the highest number of affected districts.
- In Punjab, districts such as Fazilka, Ferozepur, Moga, and Patiala are affected by mercury, uranium, selenium, and cadmium.
- Monitoring over the last 5 years shows alarming increases in:
- Electrical Conductivity (EC)
- Fluoride (F)
- Nitrate (NO₃)
- CPCB teams found multiple groundwater samples with pH values beyond acceptable drinking water standards.
