Bengaluru: Till recently it was assumed that ground water of undivided Dakshina Kannada districts were not contaminated with any chemical ingredients. But a recent report prepared by the Union Water Resources Ministry has revealed that ground water of both the districts- Dakshina Kannada and Udupi is contaminated and it contains few metals which are above the permissible limit.
Highlight of the finding is that fluoride, salinity, nitrate and iron level in ground water of both the districts is above the permissible limit fixed by the health ministry. This means direct use of ground water for drinking/ cooking purpose may lead to health problems.
According to the report, fluoride level in the ground water can go up to 1.5/ MG-L, while salinity level can be 3,000 micro mhos/cm. But ground water of both the districts has salinity traces beyond the permissible limit. Iron level is also above the safety standard of 1/ MG-L. Similarly Nitrate level is also above the permissible limit.
According to the officials in the state geology and mining department higher salinity can be attributed to local weather condition. “But higher Nitrate, Iron and Fluoride level reveals that rapid industrialisation and exploitation of ground water is contaminating the ground water which can create health crisis in these two districts,” said an officer.
“Open wells were the lifeline of both the districts till recently. But drought like situation has forced people to opt for borewell creating problems”, he added.
Similary, a political war-of-words has been kicked off in Mangaluru City Corporation limits after former Minister Krishna J Palemar pointed that coliform level in water supplied by the Mangaluru City Corporation makes it unfit for drinking. The MCC has refuted the allegations claiming it to be politically motivated gimmick to taint the ruling Congress government.
