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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) to submit a detailed, tabulated report on the presence of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater across multiple Indian States and Union Territories, citing serious health concerns raised in a news report.
The Tribunal took suo moto cognisance of the issue based on the news item titled "Arsenic found in groundwater in 25 States, fluoride in 27 States: Govt." and had registered the matter as Original Application. The case was heard by a bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson), Justice Sudhir Agarwal (Judicial Member), and A Senthil Vel (Expert Member). During the hearing, the Tribunal noted that all states and UTs, with the exception of Daman and Diu, had submitted reports identifying the districts and villages affected by arsenic and fluoride contamination. These submissions also included data on the number of contaminated water sources and outlined the remedial actions taken thus far. The NGT stressed the importance of consolidating the data for clarity and consistency. It directed the CGWA to compile and tabulate the information provided by each State and UT. The report must clearly specify the number of affected areas and contaminated sources, detail the remedial measures adopted, outline any advisories or directives issued by the CGWA, and include information on the availability and installation status of arsenic and fluoride removal plants, along with their capacities. The CGWA has been granted six weeks to submit the detailed report, while Daman and Diu must furnish its response within four weeks. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for October 17, 2025. (ANI)
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