Arsenic found in groundwater in parts of 209 districts, Uranium in 152: Govt in Parliament

The government on Monday informed Parliament that arsenic had been discovered in ground water in parts of 209 districts across 25 states and Union territories, while uranium had been discovered in parts of 152 districts across 18 states.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu provided data indicating that lead was found in parts of 176 districts in 21 states, iron in parts of 491 districts in 29 states and Union territories, cadmium in parts of 29 districts in 11 states, and chromium in parts of 62 districts in 16 states.

Also, there are 14,709 iron-affected, 671 fluoride-affected, 814 arsenic-affected, 9,930 salinity-affected, 517 nitrate-affected and 111 heavy metal-affected habitations on the country, the data showed.

In a written reply to another Upper House question, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Prahlad Singh Patel stated that of the 10,182 samples collected and tested at the Delhi Jal Board's quality control laboratories in south Delhi since May, the percentage of unsatisfactory samples ranges from 1.95 to 2.99, which is well within the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water quality.

Action is initiated as per standard operating procedure to stop contamination, if any. There is no proposal for constitution of any expert committee in this matter," Prahlad Singh Patel said.