Uranium Contamination in Groundwater
Uranium Contamination in Groundwater
The most recent report on the state of groundwater released by the Central Groundwater Board.
It revealed that the twelve Indian states have uranium levels beyond permissible limits in their
groundwater. Uranium concentrations in the country’s shallow groundwater range from 0-532
parts per billion (ppb), according to the document titled Groundwater yearbook 2021-2022
released in January, 2023.
What is a Safe level of uranium in groundwater?
● The safe levels for uranium in groundwater in India are 30 ppb as prescribed by the
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
● The safe level of 30 µg/L is established to minimize the risk of these health effects.
However, it should be noted that long-term exposure to even low levels of uranium can
also cause health problems.
Findings of the report
● No presence in Kerala: Uranium concentration is found to be within safe limits in 13
states and none of the samples collected from Kerala had its presence.
● Punjab worse affected: Punjab is the worst-affected state in terms of the percentage of
wells found to have uranium concentration of more than 30 ppb, the safe level. Nearly 29
per cent, or about three in every 10 wells tested in Punjab, is contaminated with uranium.
Uranium presence in Punjab’s groundwater is found to be 17.7 times more than the safe
limit prescribed by WHO. The concentration of the element was also highest in the state,
with 532 ppb.
● Haryana stands second: Haryana is the second state in terms of uranium prevalence in
groundwater. The state also recorded the second-highest concentration of uranium in the
country, with 518 ppb or 17.3 times the WHO-prescribed safe limit.
● Uttar Pradesh third largest in terms of uranium concentration: The state was the
third-highest in terms of uranium concentration, with 532 ppb or 7.9 times more than the
safe limit. For example, 9.2 per cent of the samples from Uttar Pradesh had a high
concentration of uranium.
● Localised pockets of other states: Uranium concentration was found to be higher than
the threshold level in localised pockets of seven other states Madhya Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana and Bihar.
Uranium: A toxic element
● Uranium is a nephrotoxic element, which means people dependent on groundwater
containing the element are at a higher risk of impaired renal function and kidney disease.
● Exposure to uranium may also lead to other adverse health impacts, including bone
toxicity and problems such as neurological effects, reproductive and developmental
effects, and immune system effects.
● Ingestion of large amounts of uranium can lead to immediate health effects such as
nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Inhalation of uranium dust or fumes can cause lung
irritation and damage, including lung cancer.
Causes of contamination
● Geogenic plus anthropogenic: Geogenic processes are responsible for uranium
contamination, but the overexploitation of groundwater can also be a reason for it.
● High concentration largely due to natural uranium content: High levels of uranium
are largely due to natural uranium content in aquifer rocks, oxidation state and
groundwater chemistry, noted researchers from Duke University.
● High bicarbonate levels: Extreme bicarbonate levels were also found at the sites with
high uranium levels. Bicarbonates help to bring the uranium out of the source rocks and
is a reason for the high occurrence of the element, said Rachel Coyte, the lead author of
the study.
● Human-made causes too be behind this: Groundwater-table decline, nitrate pollution
and over-exploitation of groundwater from irrigation further exacerbate uranium
mobilisation, said the study.
● Overexploitation of groundwater: Overexploitation of groundwater resources is likely
to be one of the reasons for uranium and other geogenic contaminants, including arsenic
and fluoride, according to the BARC study published in 2021.
Reverse osmosis could be a probable solution
● Reverse osmosis (RO) is a way to purify water.
● It uses a special membrane to filter out impurities, such as minerals and other dissolved
contaminants, including toxic elements such as uranium.
● The water is forced through the membrane by applying pressure, leaving behind the
impurities and creating clean, purified water on the other side.
● The impurities are removed by the membrane and the clean water is collected.
Did you know?
● BARC has conducted studies on the removal of uranium from drinking water using a
hybrid membrane technique.
● Field studies are also being carried out in a few districts of Punjab based on RO technique
at a village level to provide potable water, stated the BARC researchers.
Conclusion
● Uranium contamination has been attributed to geogenic processes coupled with the
overexploitation of groundwater in the country. This assessment of uranium
contamination in groundwater across India highlights the need for an urgent response.
Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the latest membrane-based technologies used in water
purification systems to remove uranium could be a solution.
Largest known deposit of rare earth elements
Swedish state-owned mining company, LKAB, on 12 January 2023 announced that it has
discovered more than one million tonnes of rare earth oxides in the northern area of the
country. This is the largest known deposit in Europe. Currently, no rare earths are mined in
Europe and it mostly imports them from other regions. 98 percent of rare earths used by the
European Union were sent by China.
What are rare earths?
- Rare earth elements or rare earth metals are a set of 17 chemical elements in the
periodic table — the 15 lanthanides, plus scandium and yttrium, which tend to occur
in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides, and have similar chemical properties. - The 17 rare earths are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu),
gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd),
praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium
(Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y). - Despite their classification, most of these elements are not really “rare”. One of the rare
earths, promethium, is radioactive.
What are rare earths used for?
- These elements are important in technologies of consumer electronics, computers and
networks, communications, clean energy, advanced transportation, healthcare,
environmental mitigation, and national defence, among others. - Scandium is used in televisions and fluorescent lamps, and yttrium is used in drugs to
treat rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. - Rare earth elements are used in space shuttle components, jet engine turbines, and
drones. Cerium, the most abundant rare earth element, is essential to NASA’s Space
Shuttle Programme. - In recent years, rare earths have become even more important because there has been
an increase in demand for green energy. - Elements like neodymium and dysprosium, which are used in wind turbine motors,
are sought-after more than ever as wind mills across the world continue to grow. - Moreover, the push for switching from internal combustion cars to electric vehicles
has also led to a rise in demand for rare earth magnets — made from neodymium,
boron, and iron — and batteries.
Joshimath sank 5.4cm in just 12 days
Satellite images released by ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre show that
Uttarakhand’s Joshimath witnessed a rapid sinking of 5.4cm in just 12 days. The quick
subsidence stands in contrast to the slow-paced sinking of the area that was recorded between
April and November 2022. According to the government agency’s report, during these seven
months, Joshimath sank up to just nine centimetres.
What exactly is subsidence?
- Subsidence is the “sinking of the ground because of underground material
movement”, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). - It can happen for a host of reasons, man-made or natural, such as the removal of water,
oil, or natural resources, along with mining activities. Earthquakes, soil erosion, and
soil compaction are also some of the well-known causes of subsidence. - The US-based agency’s website said that this phenomenon can “happen over very large
areas like whole states or provinces, or very small areas like the corner of your yard.”
Why is Joshimath sinking?
The exact reason behind the land subsidence in Joshimath is still unknown, but experts
suggest that it might have been caused by unplanned construction, overpopulation,
obstruction of the natural flow of water, and hydel power activities.
Not only this, the area is a seismic zone, which makes it prone to frequent tremors.
Warning bells for Joshimath were first sounded about 50 years ago in the MC Mishra
committee report, which pointed to unplanned development in the area that already had
natural vulnerabilities.
According to experts, Joshimath city has been built on ancient landslide material —
meaning it rests on a deposit of sand and stone, not rock, which doesn’t have a high
load-bearing capacity.
Moreover, the lack of a proper drainage system could also have contributed to the
sinking of the area. The accumulated water seeps into the rocks below, softening them.
Apart from the aforementioned possible reasons, reports have pointed out that
subsidence in Joshimath might have been triggered by the reactivation of a geographic
fault — defined as a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock —
where the Indian Plate has pushed under the Eurasian Plate along the Himalayas.
An infection of Bacterial meningitis
Legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck, who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll
and rose to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds, passed away at 78. He passed away
“after suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis“.
What is bacterial meningitis?
- Meningitis refers to the inflammation of the meninges, the three layers that line the
skull and the vertebral canal, covering the brain matter and the spinal cord. - The cases of meningitis are significantly high across the globe, contributing to a large
proportion of morbidities and mortalities, the mortality rate being as high as 25 per
cent. - It is a life-threatening disorder, the inflammation can be caused by a number of factors
including infectious agents like viruses, and bacteria, as well as non-infectious causes
like autoimmune disorders, cancers and even drug reactions. - The people at high risk of bacterial meningitis include those at extremes of ages, like
infants and the elderly, along with people with chronic medical conditions like renal
failure, immunosuppressed patients like transplant recipients, congenital
immunodeficiencies, people on long-term steroids, under-vaccinated individuals,
excessive alcohol abuse, splenectomised patients, etc.
Symptoms
- High-grade fever
- Neck pain/stiffness
- Projectile vomiting
- Photophobia
- Severe headache
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Delirium
- Irritability
What causes it?
1.The most common bacterial causes of meningitis include Streptococcus pneumoniae,
group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Listeria
monocytogenes.
2. Less common causes include bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus in patients who
underwent recent surgery and have invasive devices such as central lines.
3. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been an important cause of meningitis in India.
Escherichia coli is an important pathogen in the neonatal period,” she said.
World’s Longest River Cruise
Beginning its journey from Varanasi – the MV Ganga Vilas cruise will cover 3,200 km over 51
days while navigating through several States before ending its journey at Dibrugarh in Assam.
The Prime Minister on flagged off the world’s longest river cruise – MV Ganga Vilas – and
inaugurated the tent city at Varanasi. The longest river cruise from Kashi to Dibrugarh is
starting, putting tourism destinations on the global tourism map.
MV Ganga Features
- MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made cruise vessel to be made in India.
- The cruise has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all
the modern amenities. - It will cover a distance of 3,200 km in roughly 51 days reaching Assam’s Dibrugarh
through Bangladesh. - It is built with a unique design and a futuristic vision, the MV Ganga Vilas will meander
across various prominent destinations that lie across the Ganges along with river
Hooghly. The cruise will pass through 25 different river streams. - The cruise journey is going to bring many spiritual, multinational and natural
experiences as it will cover destinations like Kashi,Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya,
Vikramshila, Dhaka and the Suderbans.
Human Rights Watch Report 2023: India Intensified
Crackdown On Activists, Media in 2022
● Recently, on 12th January 2023, The Human Rights Watch Report for 2023 was
released.
● According to the report, Indian authorities had intensified and broadened the crackdown
on activists and the media through 2022.
What is the Human Rights Watch?
● Founded in 1978, it is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered
in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.
● The organization frequently advocates on behalf of refugees, children, migrants, and
political prisoners and puts pressure on governments, policymakers, corporations, and
individuals who violate human rights.
● Originally known as Helsinki Watch, it was created to keep tabs on how the former
Soviet Union was adhering to the Helsinki Accords. Watch Committees for the Middle
East, Asia, and Africa were added in 1985, 1988, and 1989 respectively.
● All of these groups were brought together in 1988 to establish Human Rights Watch.
● Human Rights Watch produces research reports on alleged transgressions of international
human rights standards outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
other universally recognized human rights standards.
What are the key findings of the Human Rights Watch Report 2023?
● According to the report, authoritarianism by governments has resulted in widespread
suffering across the world.
● The Report condemns the violation of human rights during the Russia-Ukraine crisis that
has led to a loss of life, property, and global economical instability.
● The Ethiopian government’s siege of the Tigray region continued through 2022,
denying the civilian population access to food, medicine, and life-saving humanitarian
aid, as well as electricity, banking, and communication, in violation of international law.
● The report has noted that 2022 saw an increase in the number of civil protests against the
encroaching of the state into the private lives of its citizens. Protests against cultural
policing in Iran, anti-Taliban protests in Afghanistan, and the campaign against the
financial crisis in Sri Lanka.
● As a group, the Pacific Island States have called on the most polluting nations to reduce
their emissions even further, and Vanuatu is leading an attempt to have the
International Court of Justice consider the negative effects of climate change.
● Along with slow-onset impacts like sea-level rise, every region of the planet experienced
an almost constant cycle of extreme weather events that will worsen due to climate
change.
● The report concludes that this is the price of inaction on the part of the government, the
continuous onslaught by major polluters, and the toll on communities, with those who are
already marginalized suffering the most.
● The Report recommends governments focus on their obligation to protect and promote
the rights of their citizens and display solidarity with other nations undergoing similar
crises.
What does the report say about India?
● The report found that the promotion of a Hindu majoritarian ideology has led to
discrimination against the minority Muslim community by authorities and supporters of
the majoritarian view.
● Meenakshi Ganguly, South-Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, added that the
government should do more to rein abusers instead of jailing critics.
● HRW noted that authorities had arrested activists, journalists, and critics on politically
motivated charges including terrorism.
● There were instances of misuse of religious conversion laws to target minorities.
● Due process was not followed nor was legal authorization sought before demolishing the
homes and properties of the accused before completing judicial proceedings.
● The release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano case indicated a discriminatory attitude
towards women and offenses against women.
● On the matter of Jammu and Kashmir, it was found that there still were restrictions on
free expression, peaceful assembly, and other rights three years after the abrogation of
Art 370.
● Allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings persisted with the National Human
Rights Commission registering 143 deaths in police custody and 104 alleged
extrajudicial killings in the first nine months of 2021.
● An August report by a parliamentary standing committee noted that children’s learning
had “suffered immensely and because the education sector also provides help, nutrition,
and psychological services, the overall welfare of the children has declined
substantially.”
● The report also questioned the alleged use of enforcement and tax authorities to harass
rights groups.
● The Supreme Court of India has been praised for its verdicts barring the use of the two-
finger test on victims of sexual assault and the Colonial era sedition laws.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
● The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (UDHR) as a global statement. It establishes the liberties and rights of every
human being.
● In accordance with Resolution 217, it was approved by the UNGA during its meeting
on December 10, 1948. 48 members of the UN at the time voted in favor, 0 members
voted against, 8 members abstained, and 2 members did not cast a ballot.
● The 30 articles that make up the UDHR describe a person’s “basic rights and
fundamental freedoms.” All people, regardless of their color, religion, or nationality,
can use it.
● It served as a model for the creation of international human rights law and served as the
foundation for the International Bill of Human Rights (completed in 1966 but in force
since 1976)..
● The Universal Human Rights Declaration is not legally enforceable, but its principles
have been developed and incorporated into later international agreements, regional
human rights instruments, and national legal frameworks of numerous nations.
● All 193 United Nations members have accepted at least one of the UDHR’s nine legally
binding treaties, with the majority doing so in terms of four or more.