Excessive Nitrates Found in Groundwater in 440 Districts

Key Facts of the Report

Extent of Nitrate Contamination

• 56% of districts in India have nitrate levels exceeding the safe limit of 45 mg/litre.
• 8% of groundwater samples tested in 2023 had excessive nitrates, marginally lower than 21.6% in 2017.
• States with Highest Contamination: (1) Rajasthan (49%) (2) Karnataka (48%) (3) Tamil Nadu (37%)
• Central and southern states have shown a rise in nitrate contamination.
• Primary Cause: Excessive use of synthetic nitrogenous fertilizers in farming.

Fluoride Contamination

• States Affected: Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana.
• Fluoride levels exceeding permissible limits are a major concern in these states.

Uranium Contamination

• Unsafe Levels: Uranium concentrations above 30 ppb (parts per billion) are considered unsafe.
• Rajasthan and Punjab have the highest number of samples with levels exceeding 100 ppb.
• Affected States: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka.

Stage of Groundwater Extraction

• National Average: Groundwater extraction stands at 4%.
• Safe Blocks:
  • 2023: 73% of blocks classified as safe.
  • 2022: 67.4% of blocks were safe.
• Over-exploited regions: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab (High contamination risk).

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