NGT Expands Uranium Contamination Case To Delhi
New Delhi : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expanded the litigation in a special case related to uranium contamination in groundwater by ordering Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) as respondents after taking cognizance of a report stating that 13 to 15 per cent of groundwater samples in Delhi were contaminated with uranium beyond permissible limits.
A Bench comprising NGT Chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad directed the newly added respondents to the Registry to issue notices to the DPCC through its Member Secretary and the Delhi government through its Principal Secretary (Environment).
The court also directed its office to place on record an Indian Express report dated November 28, 2025, which referred to the findings of the Central Ground Water Board’s (CGWB) Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2025.
The court was hearing the original application, which was initiated on the basis of a news report titled “Uranium Detected in Breast Milk in 6 Districts of Bihar: Investigation”. During the hearing, the lawyer for the Central Groundwater Commission asked for six weeks to respond, stating that the response was being considered in the Ministry.
According to the gazette report obtained in the order, CGWB’s Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2025 revealed that 24 out of 83 groundwater samples analyzed in Delhi exceeded the prescribed uranium parameters, accounting for roughly 13.35 to 15.66 per cent of the tested samples. The report, based on nearly 15,000 groundwater samples collected in India in 2024, also showed that several monitored locations in Delhi exceeded the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) drinking water limits on multiple parameters.
It also identified northwestern India, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, as hotspots of uranium pollution due to geogenic factors, groundwater depletion and aquifer characteristics.
The court also touched on nitrate and fluoride pollution in Delhi’s groundwater and noted observations in the report highlighting the need for regular monitoring and local mitigation measures to protect drinking water quality and public health.
During the hearings, the NGT also recalled its earlier order dated December 20, 2022, passed in a separate suo motu matter regarding uranium contamination in groundwater of Bihar. The bench observed that the issue under consideration is not new to Bihar.
Earlier proceedings had noted a joint committee’s findings that the concentration of uranium in Bihar’s groundwater was generally within normal natural variation and directed officials to exercise caution where uranium levels exceed permissible limits and ensure safe drinking water to residents. The matter has now been listed for discussion on September 24.
