 |
| Unsafe Drinking Water Due to Pollution |
A study done by Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi revealed that pollution in residential areas near Ghaziabad's industrial pockets in Uttar Pradesh (India) has increased significantly, leading to a spurt in water-related diseases.
Researchers from the Department of Geography and Chemistry of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Jamia Millia, focussed on the quality of water in area around Bulandshahar Road, Meerut Road, Kavi Nagar industrial area, NH-24, Raj Nagar Extension, GT Road and Kavi Nagar.
A majority of apartment blocks have come up in these areas. 36 samples of groundwater, collected from residential areas, were tested in laboratories.
The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, warned that safe drinking water should be provided in Ghaziabad to save residents from contaminated water.
"A number of large-scale industries have been established in the city along Meerut Road, Bulandshahar Road, Link Road, Sahibabad and Loni Road. At least 83 per cent of water samples in Bulandshahar Road industrial area, 50 per cent water of samples from Meerut Road industrial area and 41 per cent of samples in Kavi Nagar industrial area were of poor quality," associate professor at Jamia Millia, Dr Haroon Sajjad said.
"The samples showed high concentration of alkalinity, chloride, total dissolved solids, magnesium and nitrate. The consumption of water around these industrial areas has caused water-related diseases among residents," he said.
Sajjad said statistical analysis showed that "as the water quality index increases, the quality of life is found to decrease."
The value for total dissolved solids (TDS) in the samples ranged from 67 to 774, with an average value of 368.
About 33 per cent of hand pump samples and 22 per cent of municipal water samples exceed the desired limit of 500 mg/L, the researchers found.
The highest value of 774 mg/l was recorded in a sample collected from Meerut Road industrial area.
The TDS value indicates the salinity of water and is usually the main factor which determines the use of groundwater for any purpose.
Similarly, the alkalinity value varied between 140 and 180, with an average of 432.7 mg/l. Samples showed high concentration of alkalinity and exceeded the permissible limit of 200 mg/l.
This was attributed to effluents from pharmaceutical and drug industries.
The alkalinity of water is due to the presence of bicarbonate, carbonate and hydroxide of calcium, sodium and potassium.
"It is essential to initiate measures to check the pollution from industrial effluents and to monitor the quality of groundwater regularly in the study area. These locations need some degree of treatment of water before consumption and protection from the perils of contamination," Dr Sajjad said.
Image/
News Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2591957/Ghaziabad-water-unfit-drinking-Study-claims-pollution-industries-causing-diseases.html
