WBCS.LIVE practice question

Geologically arsenic in groundwater has its original source in

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. the Chotonagpur plateau
  2. the marine sediments of Bay of Bengal
  3. the Himalayans
  4. the Ganga plain itself

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: the Ganga plain itself

Explanation: The correct answer is D. the Ganga plain itself. The widespread arsenic contamination in the groundwater of West Bengal, particularly in districts like Nadia, Murshidabad, North and South 24 Parganas, originates geogenically from the Ganga–Brahmaputra alluvial plains. These plains are composed of Holocene alluvial sediments, rich in iron and organic matter, where arsenic is naturally present in iron-arsenic compounds.