The National Green Tribunal has sent notifications to 24 states and four Union Territories concerning the issue of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater.

The environmental tribunal emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the existence of these metals or chemicals is a "very serious" issue that demands "urgent preventive and protective measures." This acknowledgment came during the tribunal's consideration of a case it had taken up on its own accord, prompted by a media report revealing elevated levels of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater in specific regions across various states and Union Territories.

According to the report, arsenic surpassing permissible limits was identified in groundwater in parts of 230 districts spanning 25 states, while fluoride was detected in certain areas of 469 districts across 27 states. The tribunal highlighted this information in a recent order. A bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel noted that the Central Ground Water Authority had submitted a report acknowledging the presence of arsenic and fluoride in the mentioned districts and states.

The bench highlighted that both chemicals or metals under consideration have severe toxic effects on the human body, posing significant health hazards. It expressed concern that the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), tasked with regulating groundwater, had not taken independent measures, citing water as a state subject. However, the bench pointed out that this justification was previously dismissed by a Supreme Court ruling in 1997 and a tribunal order in 2022.

Expressing surprise, the bench stated, "We are surprised that after such a long time, even today, the CGWA (Central Ground Water Authority) has the audacity of shirking away from its own statutory responsibility and obligations and taking such flimsy grounds which have already been rejected by the apex court itself."

The tribunal underscored the gravity of the matter concerning the widespread presence of arsenic and fluoride in groundwater across numerous states and districts. It emphasized the immediate need for preventive and protective measures by all relevant authorities. The tribunal designated 28 states and Union Territories, in addition to the Central Ground Water Authority and the Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, as parties or respondents in the case.

The bench directed the issuance of notices to all the mentioned respondents, requiring their responses within a month. This proactive step aims to solicit timely and comprehensive input from the concerned entities regarding the critical issue at hand.

Notices have been issued to the following states: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. Additionally, Union Territories such as Jammu and Kashmir, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Delhi, and Puducherry have also received notices in this regard.

The case is scheduled for further proceedings on February 15, indicating that the tribunal will continue to address and assess the situation at that time.