India, Dec. 4 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
S.No.
State/UT
Total
No. of
% of Samples
No. of Districts wherein Arsenic has been reported
Names of Districts
1
A&N Islands
28
0
0.00
0
2
Arunachal
15
0
0.00
0
3
Assam
154
4
2.60
4
Golaghat, Kamrup,
4
Bihar
13
6
46.15
4
Bhojpur, Buxar,
5
Chandigarh
8
0
0.00
0
6
Chhattisgarh
257
0
0.00
0
7
Delhi
86
0
0.00
0
8
Goa
6
0
0.00
0
9
Gujarat
114
0
0.00
0
10
Haryana
160
2
1.25
1
Sonipat
11
Jammu &
17
2
11.76
1
Jammu
12
Karnataka
118
2
1.69
2
Gadag, Raichur
13
Kerala
185
0
0.00
0
14
Madhya
49
0
0.00
0
15
Manipur
3
0
0.00
0
16
Meghalaya
38
0
0.00
0
17
Nagaland
66
0
0.00
0
18
Odisha
413
6
1.45
4
Bhadark, Ganjam,
19
Punjab
296
27
9.12
6
Amritsar, Ferozpur,
20
Rajasthan
100
0
0.00
0
21
Tamil Nadu
286
5
1.75
5
Cuddalore, Nagapattinam,
22
Tripura
44
0
0.00
0
23
UT of
7
0
0.00
0
24
Uttar
612
23
3.76
14
Bahraich , Balrampur,
25
Uttarakhand
104
0
0.00
0
26
West
236
46
19.49
6
Coochbehar, Malda,
Total
3415
123
3.60
47
S.No.
State/UT
Total
No. of
% of
No. of Districts
Names of Districts
1
Arunachal
15
0
0.00
0
2
Assam
155
5
3.23
4
Cachar, Dibrugarh,
3
Bihar
12
0
0.00
0
4
Chandigarh
8
0
0.00
0
5
Delhi
86
8
9.30
4
North, North West,
6
Goa
6
0
0.00
0
7
Haryana
160
0
0.00
0
8
Jammu &
12
0
0.00
0
9
Karnataka
118
1
0.85
1
Raichur
10
Madhya
28
0
0.00
0
11
Manipur
3
0
0.00
0
12
Meghalaya
38
0
0.00
0
13
Nagaland
67
0
0.00
0
14
Odisha
413
3
0.73
2
Nuapada, Sambalpur
15
Punjab
296
1
0.34
1
Hoshiarpur
16
Rajasthan
98
2
2.04
2
Barmer, Bhilwara
17
Tamil Nadu
286
2
0.70
2
Tiruppur, Viluppuram
18
Tripura
44
0
0.00
0
19
UT of
7
0
0.00
0
20
Uttar
581
2
0.34
2
Budaun, Chandauli
21
Uttarakhand
104
0
0.00
0
Total
2537
24
0.95
18
No. of
Samples
Having
in isolated pockets
wherein Arsenic
Pradesh
Lakhimpur, Nalbari
Madhubani, Sheohar
Kashmir
Pradesh
Sambalpur, Sundargarh
Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur,
Ramanathapuram,
Puducherry
Pradesh
Ballia, Barabanki,
Bengal
Murshidabad, Nadia,
No. of
Samples
Samples
Wherein Lead has been reported in isolated pockets (Pb > 0.01mg/L)
Wherein Lead has been
Pradesh
Kamrup, Udalguri
South West, West
Kashmir
Pradesh
Puducherry
Pradesh
Samples
having
As > 10ppb
(As > 10ppb)
has been reported
Patiala, Tarn Taran
Thoothukkudi,
Bareilly, Bijnor,
North 24 Parganas,
Samples
(Pb > 0.01
(Pb >
reported in isolated pockets (Pb > 0.01 mg/L)
Analyzed
As > 10 ppb
in isolated pockets
Tiruvannamalai
Farrukhabad, Fatehpur,
South 24 Parganas
Analyzed
mg/L)
0.01
(As > 10 ppb)
Lakhimpur Kheri ,
mg/L)
Moradabad, Pilibhit ,
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data of the country on a regional scale as part of its ground water quality monitoring program and various scientific studies conducted as per the approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Overall, the data on ground water quality indicates that the ground water in the country remains largely potable with localized occurrences of contaminants in isolated pockets. Further, though sampling and analysis of all basic parameters like Electrical Conductivity (EC), Fluoride, Nitrate etc. are done regularly, trace parameter analysis is done for only select priority elements and heavy metals like Chromium, Mercury, Cadmium etc. are analyzed based on requirement only.
Rampur, Sambhal,
Shahjahanpur
As per Annual Ground water Quality Report, 2025 of CGWB, during Pre-Monsoon and Post-Monsoon 2024, CGWB collected and analyzed 3,415 groundwater samples from 26 States/UTs for Arsenic and 2,537 samples from 21 States/UTs for Lead. The analysis revealed that 123 samples (3.6%), out of 3,415, exceeded the permissible limit of 10 ppb for Arsenic, while 24 samples (0.95%), out of 2,537, exceeded the permissible limit of 0.01 mg/L for Lead. State-wise details of Arsenic and Lead contamination along with the affected districts are provided in Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively.
As part of the National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM), CGWB undertakes comprehensive aquifer mapping and conducts analysis of groundwater levels and quality of the study area. Further, while taking up such aquifer studies, special attention is being given to the aspect of ground water quality including contamination by toxic substances such as heavy metals.
Outcome of such quality analysis including heavy metal assessment is being incorporated in the NAQUIM studies report along with suitable remedial measures. The findings of NAQUIM studies have been shared with respective State line departments and district administrations.
Water is a State subject and the responsibility of taking initiatives to mitigate ground water contamination and to provide safe drinking water to citizens lies primarily with the state governments. However, to complement the efforts of the state governments, several steps have been taken by the Central Government to address these issues. Some of the important ones for provision of safe drinking water, identification, reporting and remediation of aquifer contamination and regulation of industrial effluents are mentioned below:
· Water safety has been one of the key priorities under the JJM since its inception. Under the JJM, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards have been adopted as prescribed norms for quality of tap water service delivery.
· While allocating the funds to States/UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in habitations affected by chemical contaminants.
· The "Drinking Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Framework" was devised and disseminated to states in October 2021.
· To facilitate implementation of the above said Framework, around 2180 water quality testing laboratories have been set up in the country. Besides this, five persons, preferably women are identified and trained from every village for testing the water samples through Field Test Kits (FTKs). States/UTs have been advised to carry out testing of water quality on a regular basis and take remedial action wherever necessary to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.
· States/UTs have also been advised to install community water purification plants (CWPPs) as an interim measure especially in quality affected habitations to provide potable drinking water to every household.
The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
