At least 109 residents of Dattanagar in Maharashtra's Nashik have been diagnosed with skin conditions and allergies after authorities screened 248 people amid concerns over toxic groundwater contamination.
Laboratory tests found hexavalent chromium concentrations of 50.3 mg/L, more than 1,000 times the prescribed drinking water limit for total chromium.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has ordered the closure of 17 electroplating units, while authorities have prohibited groundwater use in the affected area.
Residents have reported skin rashes, blisters and ulcers, while two women have reported miscarriages, although a direct link to chromium exposure has not been established.
Authorities are supplying water through tankers and have scheduled further blood and urine tests to assess potential health risks.
Tests found hexavalent chromium concentrations up to 1,000 times the drinking water standard in parts of the Maharashtra city, prompting authorities to order the closure of 17 industrial units.
More than 100 residents of Nashik in Maharashtra have been diagnosed with skin conditions and allergies amid concerns over groundwater contamination by hexavalent chromium, a toxic industrial pollutant.
The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has screened 248 people suspected of having health problems linked to exposure to contaminated water. Of these, 109 were diagnosed with skin conditions or allergies.
Residents of Dattanagar, in Nashik's Ambad industrial area, have complained for nearly a month about yellow-coloured water coming from their borewells.
An independent laboratory analysis commissioned by the South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) found hexavalent chromium concentrations nearly 1,000 times the permissible drinking water limit.
The contamination has prompted the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to order the closure of 17 electroplating units in the area, while authorities have prohibited residents from using groundwater.
Chromium levels up to 1,000 times drinking water limit
According to SANDRP, laboratory tests found hexavalent chromium concentrations of 50.3 milligrams per litre (mg/L), with total chromium levels reaching 50.5 mg/L.
The Bureau of Indian Standards prescribes a maximum permissible limit of 0.05 mg/L for total chromium in drinking water.
The concentration of hexavalent chromium reported by SANDRP was therefore more than 1,000 times that limit.
Hexavalent chromium is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meaning exposure can increase the risk of cancer. The health risks depend on factors including the level, duration and route of exposure.
SANDRP described the contamination as comparable to some of the most severe cases of chromium pollution affecting groundwater-dependent communities.
A separate analysis by the MPCB on October 8, 2026 found chromium concentrations of 45 mg/L in two groundwater samples collected from borewells and dug wells, approximately 900 times the drinking water limit.
Following the findings, authorities shut down eight of the 17 borewells in the affected area. Officials said these eight sources showed visible yellow-coloured, odourless water, although other groundwater sources could also be contaminated.
Dattanagar is home to approximately 25,000 people, and authorities are investigating groundwater contamination across a stretch of about 500 metres.
Medical screening identifies 109 residents with skin ailments
The NMC has organised free medical camps to screen residents for possible health effects associated with exposure to contaminated groundwater.
Prashant Shete, an assistant medical officer, told Down To Earth that dermatologists from private hospitals, NMC hospitals and Nashik Medical College had been brought in to conduct examinations.
"Dermatologists from private hospitals, NMC hospitals and Nashik Medical College have been called in for the task. The free-of-cost drive is aimed at checking for any skin ailments among residents," he said.
Of the 248 people screened so far, 109 have been diagnosed with skin diseases or allergies.
Shete said another medical camp had been scheduled for 17 October to collect blood and urine samples.
"We want to be thorough, and samples will be taken from people to check for any other potential contaminants, such as mercury or other compounds, apart from chromium," he said.
The administration has prohibited residents from using groundwater and is supplying water through tankers for their daily needs.
Shete said some residents who had temporarily moved away from the affected area had reported improvements in their skin conditions.
"The water is clearly the problem, as some residents who moved out when the crisis began and returned have recovered from the skin diseases. The ailments are mild in nature, and recovery is reported to be as expected," he said.
However, a direct causal link between the contaminated water and each diagnosed condition has not yet been established through the reported medical screening.
Residents report skin lesions and other health problems
In a statement, SANDRP said residents who had come into direct contact with the contaminated water reported skin rashes, blisters and ulcers.
The organisation described some of the lesions as chrome holes, a term used for ulcers associated with exposure to certain chromium compounds.
It said the injuries included deep lesions that were slow to heal.
“We photographed young children with backs and bodies covered in lesions. Young women and children had painful, swollen lymph nodes and chronic illnesses,” the statement said.
SANDRP also reported that two women in the affected settlement had experienced miscarriages.
The organisation said further investigation was needed to determine the extent of any reproductive health effects.
The reported miscarriages cannot, on the available evidence, be attributed to chromium exposure.
According to SANDRP's field assessment, some working-class families have spent nearly half their monthly income on private medical treatment, alternative accommodation and wound dressings.