Status of Fluoride in Underground Irrigation Water of Ladnu Tehsil

Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining life and environment, however, chemical composition of surface or subsurface water is one of the prime factors on which the suitability of water for domestic, industrial and agricultural purpose depends. Fresh water occurs as surface water and groundwater, though groundwater contributes only 0.6 per cent of the total water resources on earth but it is a major source of irrigation besides domestic needs, particularly in semi-arid and arid areas due to an erratic rainfall and scarcity of surface water. The demand for water has increased over the years and this has led to water scarcity in many parts of the country. High fluoride concentration in groundwater and surface water in many parts of the country is a cause of great concern. The main source of fluoride in groundwater is fluoride bearing rocks such as fluorspar, fluorite, cryolite, fluorapitite and hydroxylapitite. In India about 25 million people in nineteen states and union territories are affected with the problem of of excessive fluoride content and another 66 million are at risk.