HYDERABAD: Fluoride contamination continues to be a major menace in Telangana. The government more or less admitted this when it announced that measures are being initiated to tackle the issue.
According to the Annual Ground Water Quality Report — 2024, released by Ministry of Jal Shakti, fluoride concentration exceeding the permissible limit in water is a major concern in five states, including Telangana. Although the monsoon season led to some improvement in these states, the overall contamination levels remain alarmingly high, it added.
The upper limit of fluoride in drinking water is 1.5 mg/L. As per the report prepared by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), the number of samples analysed in Telangana is 1,150. Of these, fluoride in 171 samples exceeded the permissible limit, which is 14.87 per cent.
In 28 out of 33 districts in the state, fluoride content in groundwater was detected at one or more location.
Six states have shown an increasing trend in the number of districts with fluoride concentrations exceeding the permissible limit from 2027 to 2023, the report said.
Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district is one of the most affected districts in the country, occupying the fifth place.
Out of 43 samples analysed in this district, 21 samples (48.84 per cent) exceeded permissible limits.
The effect of monsoon recharge in reducing fluoride concentration was not much in Telangana.
Of the total 355 pre- and post-monsoon samples, situation improved in 209 locations and deteriorated in 146 locations.