Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) will soon launch a project to determine the level of contamination in groundwater in some districts of Punjab and Haryana by tracing the presence of heavy metals and elements.
The GSI will also prepare a geo-environmental map to identify water-contaminated areas. The Punjab government has decided to install a real-time telemetering system to gauge the treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for irrigation so that the dependence on tube wells can be reduced.
EXPRESS ILLUSTRATIONAcross the country, Punjab has the maximum value of uranium in the groundwater at 532 parts per billion (PPB) out of the total 329 samples analyzed for uranium concentration. As many as 96 samples were found beyond the permissible limit of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Haryana comes second with 14.4% of samples having beyond the permissible limit prescribed by BIS, as per a report of the Central Groundwater Board which was released a few months back.
Sources said that GSI in association with the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) will execute the project following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last year between the two sides to carry out collaborative studies and exchange data. The project will cover Ludhiana, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar districts in Punjab and parts of Rohtak and Bhiwani districts in Haryana. The project will be completed in about two years.
The project will also look into geogenic factors — originating in the soil, as opposed to those of anthropogenic ones that are related to human activity and causes of contamination. It will also suggest remedial measures, said sources.
As many as 13 districts of Punjab have arsenic values well above the safety limit as per official reports, besides samples of groundwater collected from 15,384 houses across the state which indicate heavy metal contamination.
Sources said that lead, iron, mercury, nickel, platinum, uranium, thallium, arsenic, manganese and radionuclide are trace elements and heavy metals which are present in the environment in very low quantities but can be toxic to humans if consumed over long periods.
Meanwhile, in another development, the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) and the state soil and water conservation department will jointly carry out the real-time telemetering system to gauge the treated water from sewage treatment plants for irrigation projects. The findings will help in better policy formation.
The telemeter system will be installed both on treated water supply from particular STP and tube-wells in the area. This will help in gauging water usage by farmers and check whether farmers have switched from using groundwater to treated water.
Water woes in border state
Across the country, Punjab has the maximum value of uranium in groundwater
As many as 13 districts of the state have arsenic values well above the safety limit.
Groundwater samples from 15,384 houses across Punjab indicate heavy metal contamination
In Punjab, out of 153 groundwater blocks, 76.47% are overexploited
CHANDIGARH: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) will soon launch a project to determine the level of contamination in groundwater in some districts of Punjab and Haryana by tracing the presence of heavy metals and elements.
The GSI will also prepare a geo-environmental map to identify water-contaminated areas. The Punjab government has decided to install a real-time telemetering system to gauge the treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for irrigation so that the dependence on tube wells can be reduced.
EXPRESS ILLUSTRATIONAcross the country, Punjab has the maximum value of uranium in the groundwater at 532 parts per billion (PPB) out of the total 329 samples analyzed for uranium concentration. As many as 96 samples were found beyond the permissible limit of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Haryana comes second with 14.4% of samples having beyond the permissible limit prescribed by BIS, as per a report of the Central Groundwater Board which was released a few months back.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Sources said that GSI in association with the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) will execute the project following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last year between the two sides to carry out collaborative studies and exchange data. The project will cover Ludhiana, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar districts in Punjab and parts of Rohtak and Bhiwani districts in Haryana. The project will be completed in about two years.
The project will also look into geogenic factors — originating in the soil, as opposed to those of anthropogenic ones that are related to human activity and causes of contamination. It will also suggest remedial measures, said sources.
As many as 13 districts of Punjab have arsenic values well above the safety limit as per official reports, besides samples of groundwater collected from 15,384 houses across the state which indicate heavy metal contamination.
Sources said that lead, iron, mercury, nickel, platinum, uranium, thallium, arsenic, manganese and radionuclide are trace elements and heavy metals which are present in the environment in very low quantities but can be toxic to humans if consumed over long periods.
Meanwhile, in another development, the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) and the state soil and water conservation department will jointly carry out the real-time telemetering system to gauge the treated water from sewage treatment plants for irrigation projects. The findings will help in better policy formation.
The telemeter system will be installed both on treated water supply from particular STP and tube-wells in the area. This will help in gauging water usage by farmers and check whether farmers have switched from using groundwater to treated water.
Water woes in border state
Across the country, Punjab has the maximum value of uranium in groundwater
As many as 13 districts of the state have arsenic values well above the safety limit.
Groundwater samples from 15,384 houses across Punjab indicate heavy metal contamination
In Punjab, out of 153 groundwater blocks, 76.47% are overexploited
