UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 8th August

UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 8th August

Question

Despite being the backbone of India’s rural water supply and agriculture, groundwater is increasingly becoming a carrier of toxic contaminants. Discuss the geogenic and anthropogenic sources of groundwater pollution in India. How does the existing regulatory and institutional framework fall short in addressing this challenge? (10 marks, 150 words) 

Model Answer

Introduction:  

  • Groundwater accounts for over 85% of rural drinking water and 65% of irrigation needs in India (NITI Aayog, 2018). However, it is increasingly contaminated by both natural (geogenic) and human-induced (anthropogenic) factors, leading to a growing public health crisis.  

 Sources of Groundwater Pollution: 

  • Geogenic Sources: 

  • Arsenic (Ganga-Brahmaputra basin): Exceeds WHO limit of 10 µg/L in Bihar, Bengal, and Assam. Over-extraction alters redox conditions, releasing arsenic from sediments and causing cancer and organ damage. 

  • Fluoride (Rajasthan, M.P., Telangana): Naturally found in granitic aquifers; excessive levels cause skeletal fluorosis. In Jhabua (M.P.), ~40% of tribal children are affected. 

  • Uranium (Punjab’s Malwa region): Found in phosphate-rich rocks; intensified by groundwater depletion. Linked to rising kidney ailments in Bathinda and Faridkot. 

  • Anthropogenic Sources: 

  • Nitrates: From chemical fertilisers and leaching septic tanks. In Punjab and Haryana, formula-fed infants are at risk of ‘blue baby syndrome’. 

  • Heavy Metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg): Discharged from tanneries, electroplating and dye units. In Kanpur, high lead levels were found in groundwater near industrial clusters, impacting child neurodevelopment. 

  • Pathogens: From leaking sewers and septic tanks. In Paikarapur (Bhubaneswar), faulty sewage treatment led to an outbreak of hepatitis and gastroenteritis affecting 500+ people. 

  • Petroleum Contaminants: In Jalaun (U.P.), residents reported petrol-like odour and taste in handpump water which was later traced to underground fuel tank leakage from nearby petrol pumps. 

  • Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) (2024): 

  • Nitrate contamination in 56% of Indian districts. 

  • Fluoride above WHO limits in 230 districts across 20 states. 

  • Arsenic levels unsafe in 29 districts of Uttar Pradesh, with Bagpat recording 40 mg/L (4000x WHO limit). 

 Institutional and Regulatory Failures: 

  • Weak Legal Architecture: 

  • Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 focuses on surface water; ignores groundwater discharge. 

  • CGWB lacks statutory authority to enforce regulations. 

  • Fragmented Governance: 

  • Agencies like CGWB, CPCB, SPCBs, and Ministry of Jal Shakti operate in silos where there is no integrated response. 

  • Poor Monitoring and Transparency: 

  • No real-time, publicly available water quality data. 

  • No integration with public health surveillance systems (E.g., HMIS), which delays public health response to contamination. 

  • Lax Industrial Oversight: 

  • Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) norms poorly enforced; industrial effluents seep into aquifers. 

  • In Budhpur (U.P.), toxic effluents from paper and sugar mills allegedly led to a spike in kidney failures and deaths, linked to borewell contamination. 

 Way Forward:  

  • Empower CGWB through legislation to regulate groundwater quality. 

  • Establish a National Groundwater Pollution Control Framework (suggested by NITI Aayog). 

  • Modernise monitoring using IoT sensors and remote sensing; link to Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). 

  • Enforce ZLD and waste treatment norms; incentivise eco-friendly farming (E.g., PM-PRANAM Scheme for fertiliser reduction). 

  • Promote community participation through panchayats and school water quality monitoring programs. 

 Conclusion:  

  • As India moves toward water security and universal health, groundwater pollution must be reframed as a national public health emergency, not just an environmental issue. Without institutional reform and real-time accountability, this underground crisis risks becoming irreversible and paid for in lives rather than policy papers.