Annual Ground Water Quality Report, 2024

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• The Annual Ground Water Quality Report, 2024, published by the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) under the Jal Shakti Ministry, highlights significant concerns about groundwater quality in India. 

Key Highlights

• Groundwater Extraction: The report states that the degree of groundwater extraction across India is 60.4%.
• Safe Blocks: Approximately 73% of the analysed blocks fall within the ‘safe’ category, indicating adequate replenishment of groundwater resources.
• Nitrate Pollution: There are 440 districts with excessive nitrates in their groundwater as of 2023.
  • Rajasthan (49%), Karnataka (48%), and Tamil Nadu (37%) reported the highest levels of nitrate contamination. 
• The report identifies uranium contamination, particularly in Rajasthan and Punjab, where the highest numbers of samples exceeded 100 ppb (parts per billion). 
• Fluoride contamination is a major concern in states such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Reasons for groundwater contamination

• Excessive Use of Fertilizers: Over-reliance on nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers in agriculture leads to nitrate leaching into groundwater.
• Industrial Effluents: Discharge of untreated or inadequately treated industrial waste introduces heavy metals and other toxic substances into groundwater.
• Geological formations in some regions release naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic, fluoride, and uranium into groundwater.
• Excessive extraction lowers water tables, concentrating naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic, uranium, and fluoride.

Government Initiatives

• National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM) to delineate and characterize the aquifer system in the country.
• National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP): Addressing contaminants such as fluoride and arsenic through water treatment plants and alternate water supply solutions.
• Jal Kranti Abhiyan, aimed at consolidating water conservation and management initiatives in the country through a holistic and integrated approach involving all stakeholders. 
• Atal Bhujal Yojana, was launched to improve groundwater management in priority areas with critical and overexploited blocks.
• Namami Gange Program: Clean and rejuvenate the Ganga River Basin, including the mitigation of groundwater contamination in adjacent regions.

Policy Recommendations

• Regulatory Framework: Implementation of the National Water Policy with an emphasis on water quality monitoring is essential.
• Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Implement precision farming techniques to minimise the overuse of fertilizers and irrigation water.
• Water Treatment Technologies: Promote low-cost filtration techniques for rural households to address contaminants like nitrates and heavy metals.
• Groundwater Recharge Initiatives: Accelerate the adoption of rainwater harvesting and managed aquifer recharge (MAR) projects to replenish groundwater levels.

Source: TH