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Fluoride levels in Tawang water within safe WHO limits, says CPCB.
NGT seeks Haryana reply on illegal tree felling, soil sales.
NGT orders removal of encroachments in Baneswar Shiva Dighi heritage site.
Fluoride concentration in various natural water sources and treated water samples in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh is within prescribed safe limits, stated a report filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) November 10, 2025 to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
"Contrary to the high level of fluoride concentrations reported by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) and other researchers, as reflected in the report published by Down To Earth magazine on August 26, 2025 and included in OA187/2025 (EZ) (Earlier OA No. 479/2025 (PB), CPCB found the fluoride concentration in less than 1 milligramme / litre in various natural water sources and treated water samples. The observed concentrations of fluoride in all these sources, whether treated or untreated, were within the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed safe limit of 1.5 mg / l," CPCB report said.
Other associated water quality parameters are being analysed and would be reported in the final report.
A team from CPCB, Shillong had undertaken a preliminary field study to Tawang during November 4-5, 2025. Water samples from various surface water bodies such as high altitude lakes, river and waterfalls were collected.
It was observed that the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Arunachal Pradesh supplied treated water to the residential houses, commercial places and various agencies, mostly non civilian defence agencies like Sashastra Seema Bal, Indian Army.
The PHED has a water filtration system, which treats the spring water before supplying it to various residential and commercial places and other agencies in Tawang. The raw water sample was collected to analyse the fluoride concentration in the untreated form.
Army experts stationed at Shungester Lake (also known as Madhuri Lake) have also reported that the Indian Army has set up water treatment and supply systems for its different facilities in the region. However, the water treatment plant installed by the Indian Army could not be visited without prior permission.
It was observed that the fluoride concentration has been found in the range of 0.045-0.391 mg / l in the lakes or other surface waterbodies, as occurred naturally. In the treated water, the fluoride concentration was detected in the range 0.019-0.128 mg / l.
The matter related to the alleged high fluoride contamination in Tawang district, with studies reporting levels far above the WHO limit. Discovery of alarming level of fluoride contamination in the surface water of various water bodies located in the Tawang district was reflected in the application based on reports published by DRDO, Tezpur, which reported fluoride concentration as high as 21.86 mg / l in 2022.
In 2024, NERIST, Itanagar reported high fluoride concentration (7.11 mg / l) at Shungester lake.
On November 10, 2025, NGT directed Haryana governemnt to respond on the illegal tree cutting and selling of soil by the Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Kadama, Badhra tehsil, Charkhi Dadri district.
The respondents also included the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Divisional Forest Officer, Charkhi Dadri and Haryana Pollution Control Board would be filing their reply within one month.
The court also directed the presence of Gram Panchayat, Kadma through Sarpanch for just and proper adjudication of the questions involved in the case.
The court also expressed dissatisfaction with the report filed by the joint committee and called the report "materially deficient, vague and evasive". Further, the joint committee has not looked into all the relevant aspects with reference to the grievances raised by the applicant and has not submitted specific findings of facts in respect thereof.
The Joint Committee was directed to look into all relevant aspects of the grievances made in the application and file additional report with its specific findings of facts along with drone videos of the sites.
The applicant, Mahendra Singh, who has appeared in person before the tribunal has submitted that Umed Patwas, MLA, Badhra constituency and SDM, Badhra tried to pressurise him to withdraw the application and also he's also being threatened. The Superintendent of Police, Charkhi Dadri was directed to look into the matter regarding extension of threats to the applicant and take appropriate steps for extending requisite protection to the applicant.
The eastern bench of NGT November 7, 2025 directed authorities to remove encroachments and demolish unauthorised construction in Baneswar Shiva Dighi Biodiversity Heritage Area in Coochbehar, West Bengal in accordance with law.
The area is an important habitat of critically endangered black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans).
The authorities were also instructed to take remedial measures for the conservation and protection of the biodiversity heritage site and the black soft shell turtles, and file an action taken report within three months.
The compliance report dated May 28, 2025 submitted by sub-divisional magistrate of Cooch Behar sub-division stated that the construction is illegal and is to be removed with assistance of police personnel.