Chandigarh, Sep 28 (PTI) A pilot study has found high levels of lead and uranium in children's blood and in groundwater samples collected from Bathinda and Rupnagar in Punjab and Chandigarh.

The study, conducted by Panjab University's Geo-Environmental Research Laboratory in collaboration with Baba Farid NGO, Faridkot, analysed 149 blood samples and 137 hair samples of children in the age group 5-15 years and 37 groundwater samples across these three locations.

In the blood tests for lead, 26.17 per cent samples (39 out of 149) exceeded the WHO's safe limit of 3.5 micrograms per decilitre.

In Bathinda, 32.62 per cent samples (22 out of 68) exceeded the WHO's limit. In Rupnagar, 19.35 per cent samples (12 out of 62) tested above the limit, averaging 6.4 micrograms per decilitre. In Chand

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