Water around Union Carbide Plant found to be contaminated

The Indian Institute of Toxicology Research on 25 September had communicated to the Supreme Court that the water in and around the deserted Union Carbide plant in Bhopal is contaminated and not fit for consumption. The report was filed by the Institute after collecting 26 samples from around the factory which proved the contamination of water.

Nitrate level in nine samples exceeded the permissible limit prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking water and lead was found beyond the limit that is 24.

It was also clear from the report that the groundwater contamination posed no threat as the drinking water requirement in the area was met through piped water supply. The samples were collected from shallow hand pumps and deep bore wells in selected sites.

Later, the NGOs which are working among survivors of gas disaster victims had also claimed that the groundwater in areas around the Carbide plant was highly contaminated and residents of those localities were drinking that water

However, the IITR said that among heavy metals, the level of nickel in 12 water samples exceeded the BIS guideline value of 0.02 mg/L. But these were well below the WHO guideline value of 0.07 mg/L for drinking water. The levels of organic toxicants, too, were well below limits prescribed by regulatory agencies.