NGT Orders Comprehensive Report on Groundwater Contaminants

The National Green Tribunal has tasked the Central Ground Water Authority with compiling a thorough report on arsenic and fluoride contamination in Indian states and UTs. This follows concerns from a news report. The report is expected in six weeks, with next hearing set for October 2025.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to deliver an exhaustive, organized report on arsenic and fluoride contamination in groundwater across various Indian states and Union Territories. This action responds to significant health concerns highlighted in a news report regarding widespread contamination across the nation.

Chaired by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, with Justice Sudhir Agarwal and A Senthil Vel as bench members, the Tribunal took suo moto cognizance of the issue based on a news piece titled "Arsenic found in groundwater in 25 States, fluoride in 27 States: Govt." except Daman and Diu, all territories accounted for affected regions in their reports.

The water safety reports include data on contaminated sources and describe remedial actions. The NGT emphasized the necessity of a consolidated dataset for coherence, instructing the CGWA to organize the information into a detailed report. This should outline affected areas, remedial measures, advisories issued, and the status of treatment facility installations. Daman and Diu have an additional two weeks for submitting their data ahead of the next hearing on October 17, 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)