‘Poisoning their veins’: Flagging 2 lakh annual deaths, 6 per cent GDP loss, NGT orders urgent steps against water pollution

“The contamination of drinking water constitutes water pollution in clear violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the constitutional guarantee of the right to life under Article 21, which includes the right to clean and safe drinking water. The continued existence of unsafe water infrastructure and absence of uniform safeguards pose an imminent risk of recurrence of similar water-borne epidemics,” said the NGT on April 13.

2 lakh annual deaths, 6% GDP loss

According to the report titled “Comprehensive Water Management Index” published by the Ministry of Water Resources, it is estimated that nearly 2 lakh persons die every year in India due to consumption of contaminated drinking water, underscoring the direct and fatal consequences of water pollution on public health.

It has also been reported by the International Centre for Sustainability, in a study published in the preceding year, that by 2030, the demand for water in India is projected to be nearly double the available supply, which may result in a severe water crisis affecting millions of people.

The NGT bench of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh (judicial member) and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi (expert member) made the observations on April 13.

Such a crisis could lead to an economic loss of up to 6 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the report cautions.

Data compiled at the national level further reveals that between 2005 and 2022, India recorded more than 20.98 crore cases of waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and viral hepatitis. Among these, diarrhoea accounted for approximately 86 per cent of the reported cases, making it the most prevalent waterborne illness.

Directions issued to authorities

The NGT directed state authorities and municipal bodies to take urgent corrective measures, including:

• Developing a 24×7 water grievance monitoring app
• Repairing leakages and preventing sewage ingress
• Ensuring chlorination and regular cleaning of water storage systems
• Mapping pipelines and sewer networks using GIS technology
• Public disclosure of water quality data and contamination alerts
• The NGT also asked senior state officials to personally oversee remedial measures and ensure safe potable water supply.

NGT takes cognisance of ‘silent killer’

The observations came in an order passed by the NGT’s Central Zone Bench in Bhopal while hearing a suo motu case based on a February 23 newspaper report highlighting groundwater contamination in Madhya Pradesh.

Describing contaminated groundwater as a “silent killer,” the tribunal noted that toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and harmful bacteria have seeped into drinking water sources across cities like Bhopal, posing serious health risks. The figures underline the scale of a public health emergency linked directly to contaminated drinking water.

The tribunal warned that several states have reported disproportionately high infections and deaths, with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintaining detailed records of the incidence and mortality associated with such diseases.

Hazardous mix

Quoting the report, the NGT recorded that years of sewage discharge and industrial waste have transformed groundwater into a hazardous mix. “The situation is such that the water people drink, believing it to be pure, is slowly poisoning their veins,” the report stated, pointing to the presence of E coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, and heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic.

The contamination has been linked to sewage infiltration from drains such as the BHEL Nala and Patara drain, as well as pollution in water bodies, like the Shahpura pond.

Systemic failures

Across multiple urban centres, drinking water pipelines and sewerage lines are laid in close proximity, often intersecting or running parallel to each other.

In several instances, drinking water pipelines are laid below sewer lines or drains, increasing the risk of contamination in the event of leakage, pressure fluctuations, or pipeline damage.

Intermittent water supply systems further aggravate the situation by creating negative pressure within pipelines, thereby facilitating the ingress of contaminated water.

The gravity of the issue is compounded by the lack of continuous water quality monitoring, inadequate maintenance of overhead tanks and sump wells, and failure to adopt preventive surveillance measures, despite clear guidance provided under national technical manuals issued by the Government of India.

The Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation Manual on Water Supply and Treatment Systems explicitly recognises that contamination frequently occurs within distribution networks and storage infrastructure, and mandates preventive monitoring and regular maintenance, which have not been effectively implemented

Case disposed of with warning

While disposing of the case, the tribunal emphasised that failure to act could lead to recurring waterborne epidemics, given the “imminent risk” posed by unsafe water systems.

The order was also sent to the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and district authorities for immediate action to curb the supply of contaminated water.