A Review of Groundwater Status and Problems due to Industrial Pollution: Case Study of Ghaziabad City

Abstract

In India, the availability of groundwater is decreasing at an alarming rate. Both natural and anthropogenic factors are equally responsible for its declining. Groundwater usage for irrigation, manufacturing, construction activities, metallurgical operations and domestic consumption has resulted in over pumping leading to its exhaustion. Also the available groundwater is contaminated with heavy metal discharge from industrial waste. This is in addition to climate change phenomenon, which aggravate food and water security in India. Ground water managers are concerned about the diminishing water tables, mixing of salt water, exhaustion of aquifers, groundwater contamination and water logging. The water levels are declining each year by 1–2 m as reported from different areas of India. Pollution is also one of the serious issues. If this situation continues, in future, India might face major water crisis as it has groundwater as a source next to surface water. To overcome this problem Government of India has initiated several acts and regulations. But because of unawareness and insufficient infrastructure these measures have yet not fulfilled the need. In this paper, the status of groundwater is presented through a case study of Ghaziabad city. The groundwater scenario of the city, industrial discharge leading to groundwater pollution, its severe consequences, and measures to tackle these problems are shown in this paper.