Areas near Kala Sanghian drain high on chromium

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, May 20

A recent water and soil study, conducted by a research group of the Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jalandhar, has disclosed the dangerous level of contamination of chromium in the areas of the district around the Kala Sanghian drain.

Toxic for people

Through the soil, chromium can be taken up by plants and thus entering food chain. Once into the food chain, it can be toxic for human population. Report

Tests were conducted by a team of the assessment laboratory of the NIT, headed by Dr Rohit Mehra, associate professor of physics. The research group took samples from around the drain and tested it for contamination of heavy metals, including chromium, copper, lead, mercury, etc. Some samples pointed a very high level of chromium contamination than the recommended values by the World Health Organisation of 100 mg/kg and the European Union standards of 150 mg/kg. The highest value of chromium content was around 690 mg/kg, which is as high as 6.9 times the WHO standards.

“Since the groundwater is contaminated, we focused on checking the soil around the drain as it passed through the industrial area housing forging and electroplating units. Along with a PhD student, my team conducted heavy metal analysis on the soil and found the values. We readied our report about 20 days back and plan to present it to the Department of Science and Technology as a pilot study seeking permission for further testing impact of chromium on the population of the area around,” said Dr Mehra.

It is a known fact that the exposure to high levels of chromium can cause respiratory problems, kidney and liver damage, skin irritation and digestive problems. Long-term exposure can even lead to cancer, the prevalence of which has been repeatedly pointed out by environmentalist Balbir Seechewal.

The study also found that due to the poor solubility of trivalent chromium, the hexavalent form of chromium, known to be highly mobile and water soluble, predominates in groundwater.

The report also says, “Through the soil, chromium can be taken up by plants and thus entering food chain. Once into the food chain, it can be toxic for human population. Keeping in view the health effects associated with chromium exposure to local population, the government must take necessary steps to determine the source of water contamination and contain it”.

Jalandhar is an industrial hub known for hand tools and leather industries. Chromium and its salts are also used in the manufacture of catalysts, pigments, paints and fungicides in the ceramic and glass industry. The Kala Sanghian drain, which runs through the city, carries sewage and effluents from various industries.

Dr Mehra has extensively worked on checking water quality and uranium estimation in the Malwa region, which is also famous as the cancer belt of Punjab. His researches on health risk assessments for residents due to the natural radioactivity in environs has been recognised at many national and international platforms.

Very high contamination

Some samples pointed a very high level of chromium contamination than the recommended values by the World Health Organisation of 100 mg/kg and the European Union standards of 150 mg/kg. The highest value of chromium content was around 690 mg/kg, almost 6.9 times the WHO standards

Can cause health issues

Exposure to high levels of chromium can cause respiratory problems, kidney and liver damage, skin irritation and digestive problems. Long-term exposure can even lead to cancer, the prevalence of which has been repeatedly pointed out by environmentalist Balbir Seechewal

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