A new study has uncovered worrying levels of fluoride and nitrate contamination in the groundwater of Chikkaballapur taluk, putting residents, particularly children, at significant health risk. The study, conducted post-monsoon in 2021 by researchers from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) and other institutions, found that 15.17% of water samples from rural areas exceeded the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) fluoride limit of 1.5 mg/L. Some samples contained nitrate levels as high as 252 mg/L, far above the BIS safety limit of 45 mg/L.
Exposure to these pollutants poses severe risks. High fluoride consumption can lead to skeletal fluorosis, a condition that weakens bones, while excessive nitrate intake is linked to blue baby syndrome in infants and an increased risk of stomach cancer in adults. The contamination stems from agricultural runoff, septic tank leaks, and natural processes such as coal burning.
Experts stress the need for community-level interventions like Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants to demineralize the water. However, they acknowledge that RO systems are costly and result in water wastage. Activists and researchers alike are calling for urgent policy-level action and scientifically sound solutions to tackle this growing public health issue.
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