Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India?
- 1.Arsenic
- 2.Sorbitol
- 3.Fluoride
- 4.Formaldehyde
- 5.Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 5 only
Arsenic, fluoride and uranium occur naturally (geogenically) in groundwater, and all three are documented in water used for drinking in several Indian states. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, and formaldehyde, a preservative and industrial chemical, are not among the contaminants documented in India's drinking-water sources. So 1, 3 and 5 are correct.
- ✓ 1. Arsenic is found in groundwater in parts of West Bengal and Bihar. NCERT links its rising concentration there to over-withdrawal of groundwater.
- ✗ 2. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. It is not reported as a contaminant of Indian drinking-water sources.
- ✓ 3. Over-withdrawal of groundwater has increased fluoride concentration in states such as Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
- ✗ 4. Formaldehyde is a preservative and industrial chemical, not a geogenic pollutant. It is not among the reported groundwater or drinking-water contaminants of India.
- ✓ 5. The Ministry of Jal Shakti reports uranium above 30 micrograms per litre, the WHO provisional guideline, in localised pockets of a few States/UTs. Punjab is the best-known case.
Remember · Geogenic drinking-water contaminants in India include arsenic (West Bengal, Bihar), fluoride (Rajasthan, Maharashtra and others) and uranium (localised pockets, notably Punjab), along with nitrate, iron and salinity. Sorbitol and formaldehyde are not on this list.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · India: People and Economy, Chapter 4 “In fact, over withdrawals in some states, like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, has increased fluoride concentration in groundwater, and this practice has led to increase in concentration of arsenic in parts of West Bengal and Bihar.”
- Uranium Contamination in Ground Water, Ministry of Jal Shakti, PIB, 16 Mar 2020 ↗ “There is prevalence of Uranium concentration above 30 micro-gram per litre ( World Health Organization ( WHO) provisional guidelines) in some of the localized pockets of few States/UTs in the country.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2013, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
