India: Dangerous levels of uranium found in Chhattisgarh drinking water. Here's what we know

Dangerously high levels of uranium – which is typically found in nuclear plants – has been recorded in the drinking water sources across six districts in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.

As per the guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO), uranium levels should be less than 15 micrograms per litre, but the amount found in Chhattisgarh's drinking water is triple the limit. According to media reports, the amount of uranium in drinking water also crossed the government's limit of 30 micrograms per litre.

High levels of uranium in drinking water can lead to kidney diseases, skin conditions, pulmonary conditions, and cancer.

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In 2017, WHO advised that uranium levels in drinking water should be under 15 micrograms per litre, and also acknowledged that "there are uncertainties (if) concentrations above this would be of concern".

India along with a few other countries has crossed the advisable limits of uranium, according to the global health body. Earlier this year, India’s Bhabha Atomic Research Centre study suggested that 60 micrograms of uranium per litre is also safe to consume.

Samples of drinking water were collected from six districts in Chhattisgarh – Rajnandgaon, Balod, Kawardha, Durg, Bemetara, and Kanker – for conducting uranium tests.

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According to the findings, uranium levels in all six exceeded 100 micrograms per litre. The highest level of uranium was found in Balod’s sample which had around 130 micrograms per litre, Kanker (106 micrograms per litre).

Across the six districts, the average uranium level was 85-105.

According to a report by NDTV, the first samples tested were from a borewell in Balod's Devtarai village, which had no other water source. This was after a few students took water from there, in which high levels of uranium were found.

The chief of the village, Daneshwar Sinha said, "... after that, we ran to the PHE Department (Public Health Emergency Department)and it was tested once again." The village recently opened a second borewell, but the uranium levels in that are still unclear.

Uranium in groundwater has been a point of concern for a long time for health officials. A report by the Central Ground Water Board in January said that the levelshad crossed the permissible limits in over 10 states, including Haryana and Punjab, the two states that produce the majority of the wheat supply of the country.

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Notably,water from Keraladid not have any uranium, according to the report.

What can be done about this uranium contamination?

A report by NDTV citing a study done by three BIT scientists saidthat the bark of an amla tree can be used to filter uranium. The findings were published in the Groundwater for Sustainable Development in 2021. The filtering method has been patented but it is yet to be implemented.

Uranium Corporation of India has reportedly suggestedlarge-scale implementation of similartechniques which can filter uranium.

(With inputs from agencies)