Higher levels of Uranium observed in drinking water of Malwa, Punjab @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Higher levels of Uranium observed in drinking water of Malwa, Punjab @ www.punjabnewsline.com

Higher levels of Uranium observed in drinking water of Malwa, Punjab

Jagmohan Singh
Thursday, 24 February 2011

AMRITSAR: In a recent survey conducted by the team of experts led by Jaspal Singh Department of Physics of Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar traced uranium content in drinking water samples has crossed the earlier levels detected in some parts of the Malwa region.

In the past surveys, the maximum concentration level was found upto 644ppb, which has now touched the 1000ppb level.


In a single village out of the 11 water samples collected, 8 showed more than 500ppb, that crosses the limit of 60ppb set by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India. “I along with my research students are trying to locate the maximum contaminated areas. The problem is complex as very nearby water sources show much variation. Work is in progress to find the cause of uranium in water that may be a natural one or man-made, said Dr. Singh.

“For the first time, high uranium contents were observed by-chance when I took a water sample from the Field Hostel of Thermal Power Colony, Bathinda during my stay in 1988. At that time I was carrying out radon gas survey in Thermal Power Plant for my Ph.D work. This water sample showed a value of 57ppb. The results were unbelievable as rarely such values are observed. Then more samples were collected and studied by using Solid State Nuclear Track Detector Technique.


In other samples still higher levels were found. The investigations were repeated many times. The results were cross-checked by Laser fluorimetery technique at Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT), Indore” said Dr.Singh.

“Now we are happy to know that after coming these reports in the media, the Punjab government is taking steps in this regard by establishing RO systems at the village level, so that people will get good quality drinking water, decontaminated not only from uranium but from other salts & toxic substances. We are also going to carry out investigations on the efficiency of RO system and its environmental effects. Overall this requires much detailed investigations in different directions to reach at some conclusions. We hope that the picture will be clear in the coming years as many research groups have started work on this issue”, he added.