Jaipur: Fluoride contamination in groundwater has escalated into a severe public health crisis in Rajasthan, with dangerously unsafe levels now detected across more than 30 districts, according to a Jan 2026 Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) report.The report, which tested 643 groundwater samples statewide, found 41 samples exceeding the safe limit of 1.5 mg/L. Drawn heavily from rural handpumps and borewells, prolonged consumption of this toxic water is causing severe dental and skeletal fluorosis, disproportionately impacting children and the elderly.The crisis spans the entire state, hitting desert regions like Barmer and Jaisalmer just as hard as developed hubs like Jaipur and Alwar. The contamination has also been recorded in Ajmer, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Karauli, Nagaur, Pali, Rajsamand, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Sirohi, Tonk, and Udaipur.“This is not confined to a specific geography,” said Laxmi Kant Sharma from the Central University of Rajasthan’s department of Environmental Science. “The spread across districts indicates a systemic groundwater quality concern. The solution doesn’t lie with local system, it requires at least state level intervention and mass micro mapping to avoid use of such water,” he added.Hospitals are already bearing the brunt of the expanding crisis. Principal of Ajmer’s JLN Medical College, Dr. Anil Samriya, warned of the rising caseload. “The hospital receives a high number of patients from Nagaur, Beawar, and Ajmer. Earlier, most cases were limited to Nagaur, but now patients are coming from nearby districts as well, indicating a wider spread of fluorosis. Most of these cases involve weakening of bones, joint pain, and in severe instances, skeletal deformities,” he said.While schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission aim to expand safe piped water and install purification units in high-risk zones, experts demand urgent, localised monitoring. “Safe drinking water is fundamental. Tackling fluoride contamination must remain a priority for both the Centre and the state,” an expert added.
