HYDERABAD: There is an urgent need for government intervention in Katedan. With the groundwater in the region found to have been highly contaminated with toxic heavy metals, it is now necessary to ensure that denizens do not consume the water here.
In fact, as per a study conducted by the researchers from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) to assess the groundwater quality, toxicity and health risks, some of the groundwater samples collected from the area were found to be containing an unacceptable concentration of toxic heavy metals.
The study, published recently in the journal Environmental Systems Research, states that the concentration of lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium and zinc in the groundwater here were many times higher than the standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). For example, the highest concentration of carcinogenic heavy metals arsenic and lead were 62 and 454 microgram per litre in the groundwater samples. The WHO limit for both these metals stand at 10 micrograms per litre.
Meanwhile, the concentration of dissolved salts and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) was also found many folds higher than WHO limits. While the acceptable value of TDS in drinking water is up to 1,200 mg/L, TDS of 4,361 was recorded in Katedan.
These findings are a matter of concern as many residents in and around Katedan consume groundwater for their daily needs, including for drinking, as reiterated by Deepika Ratan of the NGO Yugantar. Deepika has worked with Odia migrant labourers working at industrial units in Katedan. “During my visits to the area, I have observed that groundwater from handpumps or borewells is used for cooking and drinking. This could be dangerous,” she said.
How toxicity creeped in
According to the data provided by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB), the Katedan industrial area was home to as many as 78 red category and 30 orange category polluting units, which included 22 lead processing units. Although the number of red and orange category units has decreased to 13 now, the unregulated pollution emission has already ruined the groundwater