Dangerous amount of toxicity in Punjab groundwater: Report
Neeraj Mohan
New Delhi, July 25
Heavy metals and anthropogenic pollutants beyond the permissible limits for human consumption have been reported in isolated pockets in groundwater of Punjab.
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Overuse of fertilisers, pesticides to blame?
Experts attribute the contamination largely to the overuse of fertilisers and pesticides. Punjab leads the country in fertiliser consumption, with an annual usage of 375.63 kg of urea and 91.49 kg of diammonium phosphate per hectare.
Health problems
High levels of magnesium can lead to depression and nerve problems, while excessive sodium intake can cause nausea, muscle twitching, and in severe cases, fatality.
This was revealed in a report submitted by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Chaudhary in reply to a question by Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi.
According to the minister, groundwater samples showed dangerous concentrations of contaminants such as nitrate, iron, arsenic, selenium, chromium, manganese, nickel, cadmium, lead and uranium, all exceeding permissible limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The presence of the toxic elements poses severe health risks. Rajesh Gharia, a former scientist, emphasised the harmful effects of uranium, lead, nickel and manganese on human health, calling for immediate action to address the issue. The Central Ground Water Board’s data from 2023 revealed that the arsenic levels exceeded permissible limits in Mansa, Faridkot and Sangrur districts. Lead contamination was found in Bathinda, Ferozepur and Muktsar. Cadmium levels were high in Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Patiala and Sangrur, while Bathinda, Mansa, and Sangrur reported elevated chromium levels.
Uranium contamination was detected in Bathinda, Moga, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Muktsar, Patiala and Sangrur. Research by leading institutions — GNDU (Amritsar) and Panjab University (Chandigarh) — has also documented carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with the use of groundwater in the region.
