Study: Mercury 62 X higher in water near Neyveli mines

TNPCB analysis says contamination likely from fly ash from NLC's plants and mine water discharges; Mercury's ability to bioaccumulate in fish and livestock threatens food chain

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA @ Chennai

THE Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has submitted an analysis of water and soil samples taken near Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) India Limited before the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), which revealed alarming concentrations of mercury in groundwater and surface water.

The groundwater, a primary drinking source for residents, is heavily contaminated. Of nine groundwater samples tested, six showed mercury concentrations ranging from 0.0025 mg/L to 0.0626 mg/L. A sample from Vanadhirayapuram recorded an alarming 0.0626 mg/L - 62 times the permissible limit of 0.001 mg/L set for drinking water. The samples were collected on December 17, 2024.

These water sources, located 2.35-8.45 km downstream of NLC's mines, are critical for household use, possibly exposing residents to mercury's neurotoxic effects, which include neurological disorders, kidney damage, and developmental issues in children.