Serious Groundwater Pollution in BBN Area Due to Industrial Chemicals, IIT Mandi and Joint Committee Reports Reveal Hazardous Contaminants
Groundwater in Baddi, Barotiwala, and Nalagarh (BBN) has been found unsafe according to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) drinking water norms due to hazardous chemicals discharged from industries. Shocking revelations were made in reports submitted by IIT Mandi and a joint committee to the Himachal High Court, indicating that levels of magnesium, cobalt, barium, lead, and uranium in groundwater exceed permissible limits.
During the hearing of a petition concerning groundwater pollution, IIT Mandi’s status report dated March 17, 2025, showed the locations of surface and groundwater sampling sites marked on a map. The joint committee’s third progress report, submitted on July 17, 2025, mentioned the court’s directive issued on May 15 to prepare a remedial action plan.
According to the report, violations of BIS drinking water standards were found at 75 locations. Differences were observed in the analysis results of samples collected from the same site by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB). At the Mahadev site, CGWB found magnesium levels exceeding limits, whereas HPSPCB did not detect this contaminant.
Monitoring of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) has not been carried out due to lack of facilities but is planned for the next monitoring cycle. The committee has requested to submit another report after further monitoring, which the court has accepted. The upcoming hearing is set for October 28.
3 Comments