Laboratory findings from the Ambad industrial area raise concerns over water safety, while authorities face questions over pollution control, health risks and the supply of safe water to residents.

Yellow-coloured borewell water in Dattanagar, near Nashik’s Ambad industrial area, has triggered an investigation into suspected industrial pollution after laboratory tests detected exceptionally high chromium concentrations. The findings have prompted Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) action against industrial units, restrictions on groundwater use and medical screening of residents.

The issue has also reached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which on October 17 sought an action-taken report from the MPCB and Nashik District Collector within four weeks and directed the district administration to ensure potable water supply in affected areas.

Laboratory Tests Reveal Extremely High Chromium Levels

Water testing has produced two significant findings.

An independent laboratory analysis commissioned by the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), following complaints of yellow water from local borewells, found total chromium at 50.5 milligrams per litre (mg/L), including 50.3 mg/L of hexavalent chromium. The samples were tested on October 3 by Ashwamedh Engineers and Consultants, a private laboratory, according to The Indian Express and ThePrint.

Separately, the MPCB’s own analysis, reported on October 11, found chromium concentrations of 45 mg/L in groundwater samples. The board subsequently collected additional samples for further investigation.

The Bureau of Indian Standards’ IS 10500 drinking water specification sets a maximum permissible concentration of 0.05 mg/L for chromium. The independently reported hexavalent chromium concentration was therefore approximately 1,006 times this benchmark, while the MPCB’s reported concentration was about 900 times the limit.

Although the independent report specifically identifies hexavalent chromium and the cited standard applies to chromium in drinking water, both findings indicate severe contamination requiring urgent investigation.

The results also highlight the need for further testing to establish the geographical extent of the contamination, identify additional affected water sources and determine whether other pollutants are present.

MPCB Issues Closure Notices to 17 Industrial Units

The MPCB has initiated enforcement action against industrial units in the Ambad Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area.

According to The Times of India report published on October 13, a joint inspection by the MPCB and MIDC covered 275 industrial units and sheds. Seventeen plating units were found violating environmental norms and were issued closure notices. Inspectors reportedly found that effluent treatment plants at several units were either non-functional or operating under suspicious conditions.

A subsequent report published by Marathi daily Pudhari on October 15 stated that water supply to all 17 units had been disconnected. Earlier reporting on October 13 had confirmed disconnection for nine units, with action against the remaining units still underway at that stage. Authorities had also directed the electricity utility to disconnect power to the units.

The action followed complaints about discoloured borewell water and concerns that untreated industrial effluents could be entering the surrounding environment. Five additional units were also reported to have received show-cause notices in the earlier inspection phase.

On October 16, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan said a joint enforcement drive involving the district administration, MPCB, MIDC and Nashik Municipal Corporation had taken action against 50 industries, including illegal units, suspected of discharging untreated effluents. The precise nature and status of action against all 50 units were not detailed in the report.

The distinction matters: the 17 closure notices relate to identified plating units, while the figure of 50 refers to a broader enforcement drive. The MPCB’s action-taken report should clarify the status of individual units and the measures taken to prevent further pollution.

NGT Seeks Accountability and Safe Water Supply

On October 17, the western zone bench of the NGT in Pune sought an action-taken report from the MPCB and Nashik District Collector within four weeks.

The tribunal also directed the district administration to make potable water available in the affected areas. During the hearing, it questioned what action the MPCB had taken beyond issuing closure notices to 17 industrial units.

The matter is scheduled for further consideration on December 2.

The NGT proceedings underline two immediate priorities: establishing the source and spread of the contamination, and ensuring that residents are not forced to depend on potentially unsafe water while the investigation continues.

The Nashik Municipal Corporation has reportedly arranged tanker supplies and prohibited groundwater use in the affected area. Eight groundwater sources were reported to have been shut following the contamination findings.

These measures are important for reducing exposure, but their effectiveness will depend on reliable alternative supplies, clear public advisories and continued monitoring of affected water sources.

109 Residents Diagnosed with Skin Conditions; Causal Link Requires Investigation

The contamination has raised concerns about the health of residents who may have come into contact with affected groundwater through bathing, washing clothes and utensils, or other household activities.

According to Down To Earth, the Nashik Municipal Corporation screened 248 people for possible health problems. Of these, 109 were diagnosed with skin conditions or allergies.

Residents have reported rashes, blisters and ulcers. Environmental activists have also raised concerns about other illnesses, including reported miscarriages in two women. However, the available evidence does not establish that chromium exposure caused each diagnosed condition or the reported miscarriages.

Further medical examinations and exposure assessments are therefore necessary. Authorities have planned additional blood and urine testing to investigate potential health risks and check for other contaminants.

Hexavalent chromium is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The risk depends on the level, duration and route of exposure. This makes preventing contact with contaminated water and ensuring safe drinking water essential, even as the precise health effects on the affected population remain under investigation.

River Pollution Remains a Concern, Not Yet a Confirmed Widespread Finding

The possible impact on the Nandini River and the Godavari has also drawn attention. The Nandini flows into the Godavari, and environmental activists have raised concerns that industrial wastewater could carry pollutants into the river system.

The Indian Express reported that samples collected near the Ambad industrial area from the Nandini river system showed high chromium concentrations. However, the extent of contamination across the wider river network has not been established.

The groundwater findings alone cannot demonstrate that the entire Nandini or Godavari is contaminated at comparable levels. Establishing the extent of river pollution requires systematic sampling at multiple locations, including upstream and downstream of suspected discharge points, along with testing across different seasons.

Authorities should publish the results of these assessments and clarify whether the contamination is confined to specific locations or has spread further.

Water Safety Requires Sustained Monitoring

The immediate response must prioritise safe water access, wider groundwater testing and the identification of the pollution source. Industrial inspections should establish whether effluent treatment systems are functioning, wastewater is being discharged lawfully and hazardous waste is being handled properly.

In a statement reported by The Times of India on October 16, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan said that a chemical detected in the yellow groundwater was not carcinogenic. However, the statement needs to be examined alongside the independent laboratory findings, which reported 50.3 mg/L of hexavalent chromium. The full laboratory reports, including details of the samples tested and analytical methods used, should be made public to clarify the findings and establish the nature and extent of the contamination.

The priority is to establish the quality of water that residents are using, prevent further exposure and determine the extent of contamination through transparent, independently verifiable testing.

For affected communities, restoring safe water access and preventing recurring pollution are the most urgent measures. The outcome will depend on whether enforcement is followed by effective remediation, regular monitoring and clear public disclosure of water quality results.

Sources

• The Indian Express — Independent laboratory findings and Nandini river-system concerns
• ThePrint — MPCB sampling and closure notices for 17 industrial units
• Down To Earth — Medical screening figures and health-related findings
• The Times of India — NGT directions dated October 17
• The Times of India — Minister’s statement and broader industrial action, October 16
• WHO — Chromium in drinking water