Dangerous uranium in ground water

Dangerously high uranium levels in groundwater

The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd is operating a uranium mine in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The  Andhra Pradesh pollution control board has discovered dangerously high levels of uranium in the groundwater near this mines. Although the UCIL has denied any seepage of uranium to the groundwater, they have been issued a show-cause notice by the pollution board.

The levels of uranium in the groundwater of villages is alarmingly high The permissible amount of uranium in drinking water is supposed to be 60 parts per billion. However, the bore wells in the villages near the mine show uranium levels to be ranging between690 ppb and 4000 PPW, which can actually be lethal.

Many local people have already approached the authorities showing warts and lumps on their bodies after being exposed to the water. Not just uranium but also high alkalinity has been found in these water because the UCIL uses the alkaline leaching method for producing sodium di-uranate.

Needless to say,y strict and quick action needs to be taken to rectify this problem which is dangerous for the people living in this area.