Groundwater contamination by inorganic contaminants in the alluvial plains of Punjab, North-western India

To safeguard the groundwater resources at the most industrialised city Ludhiana in Punjab state where 100% population relies upon ground water, have groundwater problems due to extensive urbanisation and industrialisation. Further, the use of untreated disposed effluents to irrigate agricultural fields increases heavy metal contents in the soil, especially Cr increases due to the use of P fertilization (Andersson 1997).