NGT directs states to tackle arsenic, fluoride contamination in groundwater
text_fields
The National Green Tribunal has directed all state governments to take measures to mitigate arsenic and fluoride contamination in groundwater, while asking the Centre to monitor progress across the country.
Hearing a suo motu case based on news reports, the tribunal’s principal bench impleaded all 28 states and asked them to submit detailed data on contamination levels across districts, villages, and blocks. It also directed the Central Ground Water Authority to regularly track mitigation efforts and ensure remedial action.
The bench, led by chairperson Prakash Shrivastava along with expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, took on record the measures suggested by the authority and ordered their implementation in an April 17 directive.
The tribunal noted that arsenic contamination in drinking water poses serious health risks, including arsenicosis, which can cause skin lesions, abnormal pigmentation, and cancer in cases of prolonged exposure. Fluoride contamination, meanwhile, affects bones and dental health.
Court filings indicated that arsenic contamination is more prevalent in eastern and south-eastern regions, while fluoride contamination is higher in central, eastern, and parts of southern and western India.
The data presented also showed the scale of the problem.
Bihar reported arsenic contamination in 4,709 wards and fluoride in 3,789 wards. In West Bengal, arsenic and fluoride affect eight and seven districts, respectively, while in Uttar Pradesh, both contaminants impact 16 districts each. Karnataka reported arsenic contamination in 20 villages and fluoride in more than 2,083 villages.
The authority recommended measures such as water filtration plants, ion exchange processes, and reverse osmosis systems. States also outlined steps taken so far. Bihar said it has installed arsenic removal plants in 4,684 wards and fluoride removal systems in 3,780 affected wards. West Bengal reported over 1,500 community water purification plants along with piped supply schemes, while Uttar Pradesh said more than 80 per cent of households are covered under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
According to the Central Ground Water Board Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025, contamination has also been recorded in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The authority told the tribunal that key causes include industrial pollution, fertiliser and pesticide use, and natural processes such as rock weathering and soil erosion, with arsenic in states like Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh linked to alluvial formations in the Ganga and Brahmaputra basins.