Fluoride, uranium found in groundwater near refinery

Tribune News Service

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Panipat, January 9

The groundwater in the villages adjoining the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) Refinery here has not been found fit for drinking. This was revealed in the reports of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) which had conducted a survey in the area.

The pH value of water was not found up to the mark at some places while the heavy metals — iron, fluoride and uranium – were also found at some places over the prescribed limit.

Now, the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) has made a proposal to dig new borewells to provide clean, potable water to the people here.

Satpal Singh, sarpanch, Singhpura-Sithna gram panchayat, had filed a complaint with the NGT in 2018 alleging that IOCL Panipat refinery had caused air and water pollution around Bohli, Dadlana and Sithana villages of the district. He had alleged that air pollution caused by the refinery had led to an outbreak of diseases, affecting a large number of people in the adjoining villages.

The NGT had directed the IOCL refinery to implement various remedial measures as recommended by the joint committees of CPCB, NEERI, DC Panipat, HSPCB and CGWB in this matter.

Following the NGT’s order, the IOCL refinery had deposited Rs 42.5 crore with the CPCB, which had to be spent on the restoration of the environment and public health.

As per sources, the CGWB had collected the samples from 20 places for chemical examination from tubewells operated by PHED, Government of Haryana, and hand pumps.

As per the reports of the survey, pH values at Mahyudinpur (8.58); Mahamadpur (8.61) and Khora Kheri (9.87) were found more than the prescribed limit and fluoride concentration at Dadlana (1.51) and Kutana (1.61mg/l) was more than the prescribed limit.

Besides, iron concentration at Badoli (2.239 mg/l) and Babarpur (1.209 mg/l) was more than the prescribed limit of 0.3 mg/l. Uranium concentration at Asan Kalan (0.0320145 mg/l) was found more than the prescribed limit of 0.03 mg/l as per Atomic Energy Regulatory Board(AERB).

As per the survey report, water from the existing tubewells identified as showing high levels of pH, fluoride, iron and uranium should not be used for human consumption.